Legend of Zelda: The Lost Sage
by Soulless Suicune
Summary: After the events of the Ocarina of Time, Ganondorf's seal drastically weakens and forces from both within the Sacred Realm and outside Hyrule's borders threaten the kingdom. After a series of attack and trouble brewing from Hyrule's neighbors, Link begins to investigate and uncovers secrets that shatter his loyalty to both his kingdom and the goddesses.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I don't own Legend of Zelda. And, a great thanks to my beta reader,** **WolfsLegend. Also, this is a light AU. Termina borders Hyrule to the east and Link's adventure there takes place when he is an adult.**

Six years… six long, agonizing years it'd been left to drown in solitude. Trapped in a dimension that held no beginning, no end. A void that was neither reality nor fantasy. Six years it'd been stuck in its personal hell, hatred its only companion.

Cursed to dwell in nonexistence, in a devoid dimension where only darkness remained. _If it wasn't for that accursed Hero_. The prison of exile trembled, frothed at the very thought of the Hero of Time. To think that a mere Hylian had rid it of its freedom. How preposterous! How disgraceful! How utterly pathetic.

 _But this isn't the end. Hyrule's history is written in blood. I_ will _have my revenge. I_ will _end the life of that vile child of the goddesses._ As it promised revenge onto the nothing that clung to it, its prison shifted. The dimension whined, a sound akin to white noise, and the telltale resonance of a shattered _crack_ resonated in the endless black.

Six years… six long, agonizing years it'd been left to drown in solitude. Six years… and finally the prison was beginning to weaken.

 _I will make Hyrule bow down to her knees._

Chapter 1

Minuet of the Forest

So that's how they managed to fix everything so fast. Honestly, Link shouldn't have been too surprised, after all, he had witnessed fairy magic across both his adventures in Hyrule and Termina, but seeing Tatl and Tael jointly use their magic to repair the damage to his tree house amazed him. Both had such control of the art. To sit back and watch the flashes of light and displays as they worked was awe inspiring. For several minutes, he watched the two work, using their magic to remove the burns, heal the bark, and do other repairs on the tree house. Seriously, he never thought they'd have it in them, especially with how much the brother and sister pair liked to bicker whenever they had been put to a job of some sort. Nearby, Skull had nearly finished crafting a new rope ladder for the house. Link smiled and approached them, the three paying little mind as they worked.

He watched Skull for a moment, his skill in weaving seemed odd for a skull kid, but he probably had decades to learn such intricate weaves. The skull kid had changed so much over the years after they had left Termina. Despite having fought and met several skull kids and stalfos, he had never been aware of the changes they went through as they aged. He had assumed, like Kokiri, they were eternal children, only cursed eternal Hylian children who had lost their way within the Lost Woods. The more he thought about that so called curse, the more he came to believe that the rumors of lost children turning into skull kids and lost adults turning into stalfos weren't true, especially with how little evidence he and even the Kokiri found to support that claim. The Kokiri probably knew a great deal more about skull kids, but Link had never asked them, or Skull for that matter. As for his appearance, Skull had grown taller over the years, his face and arms becoming more like bone. In fact, he nearly resembled a stalfos, other than still being a little too small and his face still looking like that of a weathered scarecrow that had begun to turn white and harder.

After a moment of silence, he said, "I really appreciate what you three are doing. You've all helped a lot. Really, I mean it, thank you."

"Yeah, yeah," Tatl said. The little fairy looked over from her work and flew at Link, bumping into his head. "You could have at least brought us some food, would have helped Tael's complaining."

Link smirked. "Do fairies eat?"

She flew up as if offended. "Of course we do! Okay, we don't eat as much as you Hylians and skull kids, but we still eat."

"Really? I've never seen it."

She sighed. "You've lived in the forest and been around fairies for how long and you now ask this?" She mumbled something unintelligible and her wings drooped, the brightness of her glow dying down. "Did you find anyone?"

Link looked down, knowing she had meant to say if he had found any survivors. Which, as bad as Kokiri Village looked when they came here a few days ago, they hadn't found any bodies. For his own sake, he didn't want to believe anyone could have died, despite how illogical that may sound with the sheer amount of mayhem that must have taken place. He couldn't, wouldn't believe something like that could happen here, not in Kokiri Village which for as long as he knew had been a safe haven, a place of refuge for the Kokiri and himself. Even on his return here on his way to the Forest Temple, the monsters hadn't killed anyone or destroyed anything. Now, the whole village lay in ruins. A few buildings, including his own, remained largely intact, but he had a sinking feeling that was due to no one being there. Actually, the only other building that he could tell hadn't been destroyed or damaged severely would be Saria's house. His had been ransacked though, so he supposed hers probably had been, too.

He looked down and took a deep breath, wracking his brain for any sort of clue or branch or something that had been misplaced or marked. "I didn't find anything. No signs of a camp, bodies, or anyone who could have done this."

"We don't know how long ago this happened," Tael said. The fairy flew toward Link and his sister. "Leaves and other debris could have covered everything. I'm sure you did your best, Link."

"I know. I just wish I could have found something useful."

Part of him wanted to return to Hyrule Castle and ask Zelda for the lens of truth, but there wouldn't be a point, unless the Kokiri had somehow turned invisible. As the Sage of Time, she may have answers or could help him, but as the Hero of Time, he could do just about as much. Anyway, he had reached this place first, he'd be a fool simply to run away and report to the princess and king without doing his own investigation. That did bring up its own issue, what about the forest's sage? He hadn't heard from Saria at all, so unlike her, especially after an attack in her domain. Granted, their lack of communication had in part been his fault. He hadn't spoken in person with her in years, and hadn't called her on the ocarina in months. Still, one would think she'd call him once this attack happened. Inside the forest, even if she had been at the opposite end, or in the Sacred Realm, she would have _known_.

"Not like I visit her often. As much as I want too," he said, earning a strange look from the fairies.

"Is everything alright, Link?" Skull asked.

No, but Link didn't answer. He trudged his way toward the skull kid to help him with the ladder. He didn't have much more to go, but it would help get his mind off things. They had helped repair his house, helping them do so was the least he could do, especially as he spent the past day and a half looking for clues of what happened while they slaved away on a problem that should have been his.

Unlike him, they didn't have to sleep in the Lost Woods, last night anyway. He could have come back, but the destruction hadn't advanced far into the woods, and he didn't want to have to walk through the field of ash again just to enter and start up the search this morning and be reminded of something he should have known about or have been able to help with. In Ganondorf's reign, he had seen this level of destruction, but he never expected this, in a small remote village that few outside the royal family knew of.

"You could speak with the Great Deku Tree. The barrier he brought up to protect himself is down," Skull said.

Link nodded. It had fallen, that disturbed him more than anything, but he didn't let his friend see his doubts. If the tree could protect himself that way, why hadn't he used that magic to try and stop this, or use it to protect the Kokiri? In fact, if the tree could make that barrier then why hadn't his predecessor used that magic to halt the curse Ganondorf brought onto him? Maybe younger Deku Trees had more power than older ones while older ones had more wisdom? No, well, maybe, he wasn't sure, but that probably wouldn't make much sense. Besides, even if the younger tree had more power, he doubted it could have made the barrier, let alone defend the village from attack.

For all they knew, maybe that had been Saria's doing... he sure hoped so. That would make more sense than the tree using magic, but if it had been her, why did she not show herself? He, Tatl, Tael, and Skull hadn't been here when she put it up, but Tatl, Tael, and Skull had been here when it fell, likely sometime earlier in the morning. She had met the three shortly after their time in Termina so they wouldn't have been strangers to her, not that it would have stopped her from seeing what they were doing had she been here. He knotted the last bit of rope and swore as he accidently slid his finger down the wood. With a grimace, he pulled out the splinter. In a vain attempt to ignore Tatl's laugh, he decided Saria had to have been the one. After all, the current tree's predecessor could only stop monsters and dangerous animals from invading. He didn't have any reason to believe the older tree could have done more when younger. Besides, those monsters never tried to destroy the village…

"No wonder I don't have the Triforce of Wisdom if it took me that long to figure out," he said to himself with a dark laugh. It seemed the others had heard him.

"Found what out?" Tael asked. The purple fairy hovered toward him and Skull, gazing down at them quizzically.

"Monsters couldn't have done this. People attacked the village. Maybe they had monsters with them, but monsters couldn't have done this alone."

The three exchanged stares. Skull fidgeted around uncomfortably before saying, "Any idea who?"

"No," he said grimly.

He let his gaze wander off to the scorched, stone walls nearby. Once word leaked out, if it hadn't already, many would claim the Gerudo responsible despite their distance from the forest. That aside, Link knew it couldn't have been them. He, Zelda, or Nabooru would have been informed of a marching Gerudo army. That aside, this wasn't their style, especially with the Spirit Sage taking over the Gerudo in some form or less, even if acting only as a voice of sorts when inside the Sacred Realm. Occasionally, they still had disputes at the border, but nothing so far inside Hyrule.

Zoras and gorons couldn't have done this, either. He saw no signs of explosives or marks in the ground to implicate gorons, nor any signs of a zora attack, not to mention the two races had usually been peaceful and had no reason to launch an assault. The only other culprit he could think of would be Termina, but that wouldn't make any sense. Termina and Hyrule had allied together years ago after that whole moon fiasco. He looked at Skull. The skull kid had been free from Majora's influence for a few years now, not to mention he had been with them the whole time. That didn't mean that the spirit couldn't have survived their battle. No, that couldn't happen, the mask salesman had confirmed the evil had left the mask. Then again, history liked to repeat itself...

"You don't think Majora's Mask could have done this, do you?" Skull asked suddenly, as if reading his thoughts.

"Of course not!" Tatl snapped, "you're free from that possessed slab of wood, and stop feeling so guilty about it. What happened wasn't your fault. Well, not entirely your fault, the spirit just took control of you and worsened your already deep insecurities. Link destroyed Majora, _remember_? Even that creepy mask obsessed guy said the mask was now just a normal mask, with no hint of deranged spirits. It couldn't have been Majora, and it definitely wasn't you. You need to stop blaming yourself. We saved Termina, repaired the damage caused, and had a great time at the festival."

"But what if there is still something lingering in my mind?"

The fairy sighed, "there isn't, Skull."

He grimaced but said no more. Tatl had spoken the truth, but at times, Link couldn't help but have doubts. He hated to think such thoughts about such a good friend, but once every few weeks, Skull's eyes would darken for an instant and his posture and voice would change to a cruel or violent tone. He never remembered those episodes, but Link wouldn't be surprised if it turned out to be some lingering side effect. He never attacked any of them or anyone during those moments, and Link didn't want to risk telling him and possibly make him worry. Then again, maybe Skull just happened to be tired, many skull kids acted darker when tired.

"Link," Skull whispered, pulling the hero's attention, "Y— you don't think I did it, do you?"

Link stood up. "Ho, but I need to speak with the Great Deku Tree. I'm sure he'll know what happened here." He knotted the last strand of rope, this time making sure not to give himself a splinter. They'd tie it up later. Honestly, he couldn't wait to be out of here. The repairs on his house had been only meant to try and get their minds off things while he, and occasionally one of the fairies, went searching for clues. Maybe one day he would return and live here again, or to visit. He still had his house in Castle Town and as much as he hated to say it, he had less and less reason to return.

"Can we come?" Tael asked.

"Tael!" Tatl snapped. "We need to work."

"No, Tatl, it's fine. You three did enough for me already. All that needs to be done is to get the ladder up there. Come on, all of you."

He forced himself to smile, helped Skull to his feet, and marched off. For a brief second, he allowed a childlike grin to cross his face. Maybe the grin wasn't right, especially in the center of the destroyed village, but even at its state, the remnants of Kokiri Village reminded him of his childhood and the fun he had with Saria and Navi. Back in those fun innocent times when he didn't have to worry about Ganondorf or a crazy moon trying to kill everyone, or some weird green man wearing tights claiming to be a fairy for that matter. As a Hylian, he did grow, leaving behind his innocence, but he hoped the Kokiri would be the same as they always had been. After all, they were eternal children, but now, it seemed some sort of darkness had finally wiped them away.

Navi… he had been unable to find her. She had vanished days after they defeated Ganondorf, not even staying for the full celebration in Castle Town, let alone the festivities put on in Kokiri Village. His search for her resulted in nothing, other than saving Termina and finding Skull, Tatl, and Tael. He'd always be grateful for them, but he still yearned for the fairy who helped him save Hyrule. He shook his head, his gaze drifting off to the ash ridden village. Maybe some things weren't meant to be. He kicked dust into the air. The others gave him a concerned look. It didn't matter anymore. Navi wouldn't be coming back. No one in Kokiri Village had seen her and though it had been months ago, if not longer, since he called Saria, she hadn't seen her either.

Of the barrier, only bits of bark remained, along with some vines that draped over the stone walls and covered the ground. If Saria had been responsible for crafting the barrier than she seemed to have done a good job putting it in place. How it came down didn't fully sit right, then again, nothing felt right about this mess. Why wouldn't have Saria taken apart the full barrier? The more he looked, the more evident it became that the barrier had collapsed upon itself. No, this couldn't have been her work, unless she had been in a hurry.

Cautiously, they crept their way through the wall and passage that led to the meadow of the Great Deku Tree. Exactly what had happened over the past few years, Link wasn't sure, only that somehow the new Deku Tree had absorbed the corpse of the old one. Odd as it may sound, the Kokiri wouldn't have wanted his corpse to just sit there, let alone burn away by whoever did this. It still seemed odd though, that the corpse of the old tree had decomposed so fast, but maybe that was how the goddesses made them, to disappear and give their nutrients to the next generation. After all, if he remembered correctly, the nutrients of old Great Deku Trees helped give birth to a new Kokiri every few decades.

Once they reached the tree, he and Skull knelt. The two fairies fluttered lower to the ground. For several minutes, the three remained silent. As time passed, Link looked up, to see the spark of green light that announced the tree had noticed them. The flash of green looked weak, and it took on a dull, vomit color. Odd, he'd remembered it being much brighter, more vibrant. Usually, it took only seconds for the tree to notice them, unless they had been called, in which the tree would have been waiting for them.

"Link," the tree said. It spoke slowly, softly, "It has been far too long. Skull, Tatl, Tael, I am pleased that young Link has found such great friends as you three, even in these troubling times."

"Is something wrong, sire?" Link asked. The tree sounded strained, old, way beyond seven years of its short life. In fact, it sounded older than its predecessor did even as he had succumbed to the curse. The way it talked, not only old, but in a sort of distant voice, as if the tree wasn't fully there.

"I told you to come back last week," the tree continued. "You know how much trouble we've been having lately. Where is Saria, Mido? Don't tell me you have been picking on Link again."

"Sire?" Link asked. Skull fidgeted around next him. Link instinctively reached for his sword. The sky visibly darkened as the tree spoke. Though no fire or ash had come to this part of the village, the air became twice as stuffy as it had been. He could almost see the moisture in the air now, appearing seemingly from nowhere. Dampness, he could feel a strange dampness on his boots and tunic. That hadn't been there moments ago. He looked up at the Great Deku Tree and shivered as a gust of wind swept across the meadow.

"I— I don't like this," Tael said.

Link grunted and said in an almost too calm of voice, "Great Deku Tree, it's Link, not Mido." It had just recognized him as Link before, why the sudden confusion? The tree's brows narrowed. From above, he could hear the leaves and branches shake.

"Link? No, it can't be. Link is dead, like the rest of them. They died, burned, oh Saria, oh my sweet Saria, forgive me," the Great Deku Tree said as a waterfall of leaves began to fall from its limbs, almost as if it was weeping.

Link's eyes widened, "Saria? What happened to her? Sire, what's wrong? Do you know what happened to the village? Please, sire, answer me."

Loud creaks, something akin to the groan of bones, rumbled through the tree's branches. It caused a second stronger gust of wind to rip through the meadow. Both fairies shrieked, grabbing onto the back of Link's tunic before they blew away. Skull had been blasted off his feet. Link had to brace himself by unsheathing his blade and digging it into the wet earth so as not be blown over. Above him, he heard several of the tree's branches snap violently through the air. Link dared himself to look up. He could see some sort of liquid coming from the tree's eyes. Could it be… crying?

"Fire, so much fire," the tree wept, "the Kokiri, my beloved children, dead. I can still hear their screams… can still feel the flames." His voice deepened, resonated through the air with great anger. Vibrations came from below. Above them, the branches and leaves continued to snap through the air, growing more ferocious with every second.

"Link," Skull said with a nervous jitter as he returned to Link's side. "I think we should leave. Something isn't right."

"No," Link replied as he snapped upright and stepped forward. "Something is wrong with the Great Deku Tree. He knows what happened. Maybe the damage to the forest traumatized him or something, that's why he's acting odd. We have to help."

"No, he's right Link," Tatl said. She flew into one of his pockets. The wind had died down a little, but still blew strong enough to make flight difficult. "Something is terribly wrong here. I can feel it. Possibly another curse, I don't know, but—"

"Leave this place vile Hylians." From the ground, a massive root erupted, causing violent rumbling from below. Link and Skull leapt away as it slammed down, leaving a large crack and an explosion of grass and dirt where they had just been.

"Great Deku Tree, it's me, Link!" He forced himself to his feet, the constant shaking of the ground causing him to wobble.

"I will not be lied to by another Hylian. You killed Link, just like the others. Forgive me, my children. I failed you, I could not protect you."

More roots shot from the ground, followed by hundreds of snake like vines that descended from the tree tops. Link swore to himself. When… how had the tree gained this much power? He expected power like this from Saria. She was the sage, after all. Unless… unless…

"Sire, what happened? Where's Saria? Why do you have her power?"

"Silence!"

Link leapt away, barely dodging a massive root. He grimaced, kind of wishing he had brought Din's Fire. Saria would kill him for setting fire to the trees, especially the Great Deku Tree. Albeit he didn't really care at the moment, not when his and his friends' lives were on the line. He glanced up, his eyes wide with worry. He advanced closer, his left hand wrapped tightly around the hilt of his sword.

"Please, calm down sire," Link yelled, his voice barely carried over the harsh wind and thundering branches, roots, and vines. "It is me, Link. Please, tell me what happened. I will hunt down those who have caused this. Just please, tell me, where is Saria? Do you at least know if she's alive?"

"It's not working, Link," Tael's quiet voice said. He could still feel both fairies clinging to his pockets. "We should go."

"No, we need to, we—" his voice fell silent. From what seemed to be nowhere, the tree had summoned forest creatures. Each of them stared at him and Skull, snarling with raw anger, their intent on ripping them apart. More vines and roots joined in, somehow snarling like the creatures.

"Run!" Skull shouted.

Link didn't need telling twice. He turned and fled after Skull. The creatures and roots right behind him. They wouldn't be able to make it out, but trying to fight all of them would be suicide. Damn it, he really should have been more prepared.

"Die, Hylians," a dark voice rumbled through the ground and walls.

"Watch out!" Link shouted. He jumped and tackled Skull, just as several large vines had struck out from the top of the walls at where he had just been. Above them, several monstrous owls circled.

"Did you bring your dart gun?" Link asked. Skull shook his head.

"Damn it, Link. Play your ocarina!" Tatl shouted.

"Um, yeah, right." Thankfully, he always put the Ocarina of Time in the same pocket. As fast as possible, he played the tune for the Minute of the Forest and just as the creatures and plants reached them, the four vanished into green light.

Once they reached the Sacred Forest Meadow, the two fairies flew from his pocket. He grabbed his sword and shield, bracing himself for what was to come. His eyes shot around for any sign of an ambush. No one was around them, what a relief, but he kept his ears tuned. For all he knew, any rustle in the trees could be another attack.

"The Forest Temple," Tatl shouted, forcing Link's attention away from any possible danger. "Why in Din's name would you bring us here? Did you get hit by a root or something? We already had one crazed tree try to kill us. We don't need more."

"We need to figure out what happened."

"Yes, but maybe go to Death Mountain first and ask Darunia to leave the Sacred Realm and help us so he can burn up any more of those evil plants that want us dead. Or, we could take this to Zelda and the king. You know, the sovereign of Hyrule, the man who probably would want to know something bad has happened inside his realm. Hello, Link? Are you listening to me? Link, hello?"

"Yeah, yeah, be quiet, Naggy."

"I am not Navi!"

She did fall quiet once Link reached the stump, Saria's stump. He hadn't expected her to be here, especially after what the Great Deku Tree had said, but part of him had hoped she would be sitting on her stump, waiting for him and ready to talk and to explain just what in the goddess's name was going on. He frowned and approached the stump, just as he had the day he came to the Forest Temple to free her.

He really shouldn't have expected her to be here. After all, she would probably have more pressing issues now, but he had hoped that he'd find her. Skull put a comforting hand on his shoulder. Link shrugged him off as he sat down and looked up at the temple. Someone had made a rope ladder to get inside, likely Saria as the last time they talked she mentioned to him about how she had begun cleaning out the temple. Actually, no, she had said that the last time they visited the village. Their last talk on the ocarina hadn't gone to well. Best not to think of that now.

"Maybe's she's inside?" Tael said with an attempt at a cheerful smile.

He shook his head. That could be possible, but after what the Deku Tree said, he had his doubts. He grabbed the ocarina and played her song, praying to the goddess that she would respond, she didn't. All that met him was cold silence. With a deep sigh, he jammed the ocarina into his pocket only to pull it out seconds later. He should have expected as much. The last time the two talked he had to play the song five times in a row to get a response from her, which probably should have made him question why she waited so long.

He forced himself to play again, and again, and again. He ignored the concerned looks from the others and continued for five minutes until a voice in his head said with eerie conviction, _What do you want?_

It wasn't Saria.

"Who are you?" Link demanded, both out loud and in his head. "Where is Saria?" How could someone else be talking to him? That couldn't be possible. Only he and Saria could contact each other with that song.

 _I will not answer to you, traitor._ An explosion resonated along with several screams from inside the Forest Temple. Link leapt up and jammed the Ocarina of Time back into his pocket.

"What was that?" Skull demanded.

More screams and a second explosion came. Link growled and climbed the ladder, the rest followed behind him. He ran toward the entrance of the temple, only to run face first into a barrier. Skull slid to a stop behind him, but Tatl flew at the barrier. Her body glowed brightly when she struck only to bounce off like Link. Link hurried toward her, only to give a sigh of relief when she popped up.

"It's fairy magic, very powerful magic," she said.

"Can you two counter it?" Link asked.

"No, there are too many keeping it powered. They probably know we're here..."

"I guess that explains the explosion, must have freaked people out inside knowing others came, especially if they know what happened in the village. Too bad I wasn't here to help, anyway, can you speak to them? Tell them we mean them no harm."

"I'll try. Tael, help me." Her brother flew next to her and the two approached the barrier and froze, both taking in a great deal of focus.

For a moment, he watched the two. He saw both strain, though if from trying to communicate with the fairies inside or from the actual conversation, he couldn't be sure. Fairies, hopefully that meant some of the Kokiri had survived. The Great Deku Tree made it sound like all were dead, or maybe what ever happened made him think them all dead. Now that he thought of it, he hadn't seen any fairies in the ruined village, or in the Deku Tree's meadow. He paced around, cursing himself again for not bringing more gear. If only the damned song could get them inside.

"Link, what happened when you tried to talk with Saria?" Skull asked.

Link rounded on him. He took a deep breath to force himself to calm down. "Someone else answered. I don't even know how it could be possible. Whoever it was, called me a traitor."

Skull's eyes widened. "Are you sure it wasn't Saria? Who would think you to be a traitor?"

"It wasn't her. As for why they called me a traitor, I don't have a clue."

"Could it have been a Kokiri?"

"I don't see how." Then again, he didn't see how anyone else could have responded to that song. He didn't know much about the magical songs, other than what they did. Maybe Zelda would know. After all, as Sheik, she did teach him the songs for the temples.

Skull shook his head. "I really should have brought my sword and shield, or the dart gun."

"I still don't understand how you're transforming."

Skull looked at him. "We age, just a lot slower than Hylians. We skull kids can live for hundreds and hundreds of years. We mature and age slowly, I am a lot older than I appear to be. Around two hundred, so I'd guess about the same age as you in Hylian years."

"Okay, I guess. I must say, seeing you looking increasingly like a stalfos creeps me out even more." Both laugh to which Link added, "It wouldn't explain why all those I've met on my journey attacked me."

Skull shrugged. "We aren't used to outsiders. And those you met inside the temple were likely under Ganondorf's lingering control."

"I suppose that's true."

"Hey guys!" Tael said, flying straight into them. "We opened the barrier. Okay, those inside did, but you wouldn't believe who it is. It's the Kokiri."

"What?" Link said.

Tael flew off to the door with Skull and Link running behind them. Link flung the door open, leapt inside, and ran down the hall, paying little attention to the changes that had been done. Once inside the main room of the mansion like temple, he gasped from what he saw. Tael wasn't kidding. Inside were Kokiri and fairies. Each of the Kokiri looked terrified, their eyes wide with fright and horror. Even the fairies seemed tense. With them stood a few skull kids and even some stalfos. The stalfos stood in front of the Kokiri and skull kids, each of them brandishing a sword and shield at the intruders.

Link sighed in relief. He looked over them, the Kokiri, and noted that there were only ten of them. His smile vanished. So few left, and all of them, along with the skull kids, seemed petrified with terror. After what they must have seen at the village, he couldn't blame them. Even the stalfos looked worse for wear, some of their bones had cracks, bits of their armor looked rusted, and their red eyes looked worn and tired. Such a strange contrast to those he had fought. He looked at Skull. Though not quite a stalfos, he looked much better than those standing in front of them, attempting to look intimidating as they guarded those behind them.

Ten Kokiri, about twenty skull kids, and five stalfos, he didn't like the looks of it. There should have been more. Kokiri village had a larger population, and he knew of a few Kokiri who spent their time wandering the Lost Woods, outcasts of sorts. Where were the rest? Could they have died? No, they couldn't have. Despite everything he saw and witnessed he didn't want to believe them dead.

"Link, is that, is that really you?" A voice said. One of the Kokiri broke the lines and crept hesitantly toward them. One of the stalfos attempted to stop him, but he said, "It's okay, I know them."

Link watched the Kokiri approach him, a small smile of recognition crossed his face. Red hair, an attempt at a tough attitude, it couldn't be, but here he was, Mido, the self-proclaimed leader of the Kokiri, standing in front of him. Link stared, and though he still had some resentment toward him, he couldn't have been happier. Mido's fairy, Orion, hovered next to him. He looked at Tatl and Tael and gave a light smile. He must have been the one in charge of keeping up the barrier.

Like many of them, Mido looked weak and tired. Cuts and bruises ran across his arms and legs, and a large scar streaked across his right cheek. His eyes had gone gaunt with exhaustion and his clothes were in tatters. For once, Link felt sorry for him.

"Mido, what happened?"

Mido's eyes narrowed, his hands clenching into fists. "So, it is you. Where have you been? You were supposed to protect her. You were supposed to stop this!" He lunged at Link. From more shock than anything, Link just stood there, letting him pound weakly away at him with his fists until Skull smacked him away, sending Mido sprawling to the ground.

"Hold your tongue, Mido!" Skull snapped and advanced toward him, only to fall back when two of the stalfos advanced.

"Let him talk," Link said. He may be twenty three and Mido a Kokiri, but goddesses, Mido had some strength despite his disheveled appearance. When had Mido grown muscle? He stepped closer to the fallen Kokiri and ignored the warning from the stalfos. "Mido, what happened?" An idea came to him. The voice from the song sounding familiar now. "That was you I spoke to, wasn't it?'

Mido looked down then. It seemed to take all his willpower to not weep. "Yes. Why didn't you come, Link? Why didn't you help us? We _needed_ you."

Link scanned the crowed in front of him and knelt down. "What happened?"

His shoulder's shook. " _He_ went crazy. He attacked us, so many died. The village destroyed, the others dead, I— I tried to stay strong for them. I am their leader, but, but," Mido shivered, "all the bodies. All of them, so many of us dead, many of the fairies dying around us, and I couldn't help them."  
It couldn't be… Link shook his head, no, there was no way. No way in hell that the person that caused all this was—

"Who did this? Mido, answer me, who did this?" Mido shook his head. Link asked again, but he still refused to answer. He only shook like a leaf. Link grimaced, nearly grabbed him and shook him to demand answers, but Orion intervened and landed on Mido's shoulder to comfort him. Link looked at the fairy and asked him the same question, a sinking feeling told him that he already knew the answer.

"The Great Deku Tree, he did this to us," he said quietly.

Link's frown deepened. "Why?"

"We don't know. A few months ago, he just snapped. He didn't attack the village until last week. He'd only throw us out if we went to speak with him. Others came before and took some of us captive, but I don't know if that's what caused him to go mad. Many times we tried to contact you or Zelda, but no one responded."

Saria's Song, of course, but how could they play it? As far as he knew, only he and Saria could contact each other through the melody. Now that he thought of it, he had sensed in the back of his mind someone playing the song, but he had ignored it, having thought that it was from a guilty conscience. For all he knew, someone could have sent him a letter to his house in Castle Town, but he had been out in Termina for most of the year visiting friends, only returning to Hyrule a month ago.

"What happened to Saria?" He asked. "Mido, why did you answer her song?"

He looked at him quizzically. Mido stood up, looking like he regained a little bit of his confidence. "I was hoping you would tell me that. After returning to the Sacred Realm over a year ago after her stay, she returned about ten months ago to give me control and access of the song. She seemed troubled, I don't know why though, maybe sage business, probably having to do with the Deku Tree honestly. She said you talked with her earlier, shortly before she arrived. What did you guys discuss?"

Link shrugged. He had talked to her afterwards, to, and he didn't remember the whole conversation, but the last two conversations they had with each other had been mostly the same, and she had been deeply upset each time. "Not a lot really. I just know she wasn't happy. Did something go on with her and the Deku Tree? Skull, Tatl, Tael, and I talked with him not that long ago. Despite sounding crazy, he seemed to think he did something to Saria or knew something happened to her. You don't know anything more, do you?"

"That's enough," Orion said, though not unkindly. "Please Link, he told you what he can. We don't know what happened between him and Saria or what caused him to go insane. Only that Saria came to the village one day and gave Mido access and sole authority to her song. He needs rest, they all do. We fought off a swarm of forest creatures a few hours before you arrived. They need rest."

Link nodded. "Okay, but where did they come from? Do you at least know where Saria is?" The fairy glared at him and remained silent. Link opened his mouth to demand more answers from him, only for Tatl and Tael to land on his shoulders.

"Leave it Link, they don't know," Tatl said. "We might be able to get more from them later, but let them recover."

Of course, they need to recover, but he'd rather have answers to his questions, or at least some sort of explanation of what happened. With the forest creatures now turning on the Kokiri they wouldn't be safe here. He doubted their barrier would have hold for long, especially if they had been attacked so recently. Saria, she'd have answers, but with Mido having her song and them not having a lead, searching for her would be useless.

Link looked around. Though clearly the inside of the temple had been cleaned up and furnished since his last time here, the signs of battle were evident. A few blood stains, arrows, even the remains of a few creatures they hadn't yet finished discarding littered the once pristine stone. As time went by and no one had spoken, three of the stalfos, a few skull kids, and even a few Kokiri left to finish cleaning. All of them looked so defeated, so disheartened. How long had they been here? Mido said that it had been nearly a year since Saria had vanished, and probably around a month or so since the Kokiri came here. Exactly how did they manage to survive? Link looked over them. If only he could do more for them.

"What are you going to do?" Mido asked. Link looked down at him. "You'll help us, right?"

"Of course, but I have to return to Castle Town first."

His eyes widened. His voice radiated with fear and anger, "What? Why? I thought you'd help us!"

"I will, trust me, Mido, I want to, but I need to tell Zelda and the king what has happened. Don't worry, Mido. I promise I'll be back."

He shook his head. "No, please stay. We need you."

Link looked off as the rest of the crowed separated, most, if not all, talking quietly to themselves. Mido was truly terrified. As much as he wanted to help though, he had to return to Zelda and explain what happened. Then he'd come back, but he also needed to leave and look for Saria. If anyone did, she'd have the answers.

"Mido, listen," Link said. "I will be back. Princess Zelda needs to know what happened here. I'll speak with her, get some of my gear then come right back. I promise. I know we never got along much when I was younger, but I don't want the Kokiri, and anyone else here, to suffer."

"What about us?" Skull asked. He craned his neck around. "We can stay here with them."

Link nodded. "That would be a good idea. What about your weapons? They're outside of the forest."

"I'll go get them when we have time."

"No," one of the stalfos finally spoke up. "You will remain here. You are nearly grown, it is time you have proper training. You've been gallivanting around for far too long. If what Mido told me is true, you nearly destroyed a whole country. You need to control yourself, and I know we have our differences, but you need proper training. We stalfos have extra weapons."

Skull fiddled around with his fingers and looked around shakily. "Yes, Father."

Tatl shot up. "Your father? You told me he was dead!"

Skull looked down. "Tatl, please."

The stalfos, Skull's father gave a strange laughing hiss, "That ashamed of me, son? You'd rather tell them I died than admit who I am?"

"I, uh," Skull looked down. "I'm sorry, Father. I will accept my training, especially if I can help protect those here."

His father's bones rattled, "Good."

Link and Tael looked at each other, the fairy likely feeling as bad for Skull as Link did. Link had never asked about his family, but this now brought up so many questions, but there were more important things to deal with right now… those could wait. Hopefully Skull or the stalfos would explain this when he returned.

He brought his attention back to the Kokiri, doing his best to ignore the sudden tension in the room. "Remember, Mido, if you need me, just play Saria's song."

"Yeah, right," he said. "I, uh, thank you Link." He scratched the back of his head. "Sorry I called you a traitor."

"That's fine. I should have been paying more attention. Anyway, I'll be back soon." Once again, he pulled out the Ocarina of Time. After playing the Prelude of Light, he warped away in a show of golden energy.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Here's chapter 2. Thanks again to my Beta Reader** **WolfsLegend! Please R/R :)**

Chapter 2

Enemy Unknown

The Temple of Time, a gateway between reality and fantasy- Hyrule and the Sacred Realm- stood tall as it always had. Its steeples reached for the skies, covered the temple grounds with an eerie shadow. It was an imposing structure, a reminder of Hyrule's rift in time and the could-have-beens. Its stones that lined the walls and made the floor were untouched, neither time nor man had entered the temple since the Hero of Time's last visit so many years ago.

After the energy faded and Link materialized from a yellow burst of light that came and went like a breath of cold air, he stood in awe at the expansive sanctuary. It looked as he'd left it, thirteen years ago. The three Spiritual Stones sat upon the pedestal where he had placed them, each shining radiantly. Such glorious treasures of Hyrule. He walked up to them, almost hesitantly and brushed a hand against the Kokiri Emerald. It burned his hand and pulsed harshly with a vibrant light that forced him to look away.

Good, the emeralds were still here, safe and sound. He'd expected as much but he'd heard that the gorons and zoras had wanted them returned; however, after what he witnessed in the forest, he was more than relieved to find them here. It may have been the Deku Tree who snapped, but Mido had said others had attacked, and if they had gotten their hands on the Kokiri Emerald... that would not have been good. Could that have been their goal? No, if they knew of the emerald then they would have known that it had been taken from the forest over a decade ago. As for the gorons and zoras, the king could deal with them. After all, the royal family and the soldiers of Hyrule could protect the spiritual stones better than they could.

His gaze shifted around the stone floors, over the tapestries of past heroes, and past the monochromatic, glass windows before settling on the Door of Time. Even from his position in front of the pedestal, he could feel the sword's presence. The Master Sword, the sword of evil's bane, called to him with a slight pull to his heart. That sword had been his lifeline, his savior, and only friend.

Unlike last time, he could draw the sword without worry of going into the future, but there hadn't been a real need to do so until now. With some sort of evil infesting the Deku Tree, he had a feeling that he'd need it and he'd rather have the blade with him anyway. However, he'd have to ask the princess first, but that would be easier said than done. He could only speculate what had happened as there was no name of the evil that had laid ruin upon the Deku Tree and its realm. If only her father would be as agreeable as her and not so… well, pompous. Nevertheless, since his last meeting with the king, he had a feeling that Daphnes wouldn't take well to his premonitions either. Link knew he had offended him by refusing the title of Great Knight of Hyrule, but he neither deserved the title nor did he want it. He still accepted and favored the rank of one of Hyrule's knights so that he could continue aiding Hyrule and exploring the lands. It was much better than sitting around the castle having to deal with politics and foreign dignitaries.

"Probably only my title of Hero of Time that saved me from the chopping block," he said bitterly. He shook his head, that wasn't fair. King Daphnes was a strict man and at times unreasonable, but he wasn't a tyrant.

Outside the temple, Castle Town had flourished since the end of Ganondorf's reign. Many who had left for Kakariko City returned, and immigrants came from across the kingdom to celebrate their victory. Over the years, Hyrule had expanded into more territory, incorporating large swaths of land into its borders. It was for expansion, but also to bolster the kingdom's economy by taking their wealth. The natives didn't like it, but what could a mere hero do? The last time he disagreed with the king he had nearly been sent to the dungeon, and that had been because Link wanted to have the Master Sword with him at all times. The Hero of Time needed his sword and as for the natives of the new land, they'd flourished under Hyrule's rule. They'd be better off.

Despite how urgent he needed to see the princess, he couldn't help but mingle with some of Castle Town's citizens. He smiled and waved at the people who passed. Several waved back, while others went with all the bowing nonsense. He gritted his teeth, but managed to keep a slight smile. He wasn't a king and he was definitely not a god as some claimed him to be, but no matter how much he told the people not to bow down, they always did. He'd always be their hero, and thus would always take the time to wave back and mingle with them.

He strolled through the east side of Castle Town, glanced over at his home as he went toward the pathway that led to the castle. His home was far greater than his treehouse in Kokiri Village. He loved it here and as much as he wanted the village and his house to be restored, he couldn't dream of living anywhere else. The building stood two stories high, the top window gleaming with a small stained-glass section of the Triforce. Truly, like much of Castle Town, the building was a spectacle to behold.

Normally, there would be a few guards at his house, but as he'd been away for most of the year, they had been momentarily relieved of the duty. Besides, he doubted anyone would dare to assassinate him. Most, if not all, of Hyrule revered him. They'd never try to kill their beloved hero. He paused for a moment outside. Mido said they had tried to contact him, and for all he knew, he could have letters there. That could wait, after all, he had talked with them. Then again… for all he knew, Saria had also written him. Unlikely, but there could always be the chance that she would want to contact him, especially since she no longer used her song.

After a quick look inside the red mailbox posted at his door, he forced himself to continue down the path to the castle. There were letters there and as much as he wanted to read and catch up on them, he had more important matters to attend to first.

It was a bit unnerving, so much had changed in years since he defeated Ganondorf. The castle had grown larger, its facade refurbished with new stone and its size devouring what had once been Castle Town's square. Its towers were taller too, reaching higher than the Temple of Time's steeple. Yet its courtyard was much smaller despite the additional number of guards that were posted along the perimeter. From the highest tower perched a crimson flag. Its ribbons caught in the wind as the seal of the Royal Family flashed in the sun.

"Welcome back, Sir Link," a voice grated over his thoughts, resonating with a clink of metal and chain.

Link snapped his eyes to the guard closest to him, acknowledging the armored man's salute with a salute of his own before giving a brisk nod. The guard eased himself then, hand relaxing on the tall spear that he held within arm's length. Although only his eyes were visible, a vicious color of peridot, Link recognized him. Perhaps it was the man's stance or his voice, but if Link remembered correctly, the man had been a part of an underground movement that resisted Ganondorf. Link hadn't known about them until after Ganondorf's demise, but Zelda said she had worked closely with them. They weren't as known or as glorified as he was, but they did their part. Not that they killed Ganondorf, but they had helped a lot by fighting his forces throughout Hyrule.

At the center of the small courtyard stood a large statue made of marble. The statue, made in his likeness, had been constructed shortly after Ganondorf's reign. He had been asked to oversee the construction, but he felt no need to because he had found more interest in finding Navi. Then again, maybe if he had done as asked, then they would've gotten his nose right. The statue's nose was crooked, the nostrils much too big, and its form was much too sharp. He would've stared at the imperfection for ages, would've felt his own nose to compare, if it weren't for the soft, familiar voice that erupted from the right of the statue's feet.

He looked down then, meeting a sea of blue that didn't quite match his own irises. Zelda stood by the statues foundation, burgundy materials of satin and cashmere cascading around her legs. Strawberry blond hair danced in the breeze, framing a rounded face of snow paired with thin lips and big eyes. As always, she looked breathtaking. She was talking with a small gathering of her court, of which he didn't recognize, and Impa. Well, the _new_ Impa as the _old_ Impa had to spend most of her time within the Sacred Realm. Of all the sages, only Zelda could remain outside the Sacred Realm without permission from the Royal Family or the goddesses. The rest could only leave for a week or two once a year. The small cluster of royal officials turned when he approached.

"Link!" Zelda beamed. She ran toward him and almost tripped over her skirts as he caught her in an embrace. Her laughter resounded, causing a small smile to split across his stoic face. Yet as he pushed her at arm's length, allowing himself to get a good look at her, she failed to meet his gaze. Instead, she looked off to the side, looked above them, and looked to the ground. She looked everywhere but at him. "I can't believe it's been so long. How have you been? I trust your time in Termina went well. I meant to come visit, but unfortunately I had duties elsewhere." Lies. No matter how much time passed, he knew of her like the movement of a blade. At his narrowed gaze, she frowned and nodded glumly, "I know, I had a dream you would be coming. We need to talk."

"We do," he agreed with a glum nod of his own. About many things, but the situation in the forest stood out the most. "But first, who are they? Other than Impa."

"Oh, you know, just some advisors and old friends. It has been lonely here without you. How was Termina?"

"Great, Clock Town has grown a lot. They have even begun settling Ikana Canyon. The old tower there would make a great stronghold."

"I've heard."

"Welcome, Hero of Time," the new Impa said. Like the old Impa, she too was a Sheikah, but the similarities between the two disturbed him. Probably a sister, as there weren't many Sheikah left after the Great War and the genocide against them after they betrayed the Royal Family.

The War and the genocide… The Shadow Temple had taught him a lot, and honestly, it bothered him greatly, but that had been in the past. He liked to think that the current Royal Family was more civilized, more honest and understanding. As far as he knew, King Daphnes and his father had not tarnished the name of the royal family as their ancestors had. Nevertheless, that didn't excuse King Daphnes for his transgressions. He had much to answer to, not as much as the kings before him, but like them, he wasn't a saint either.

"Greetings, Impa. It is nice to formally meet you," Link shook her hand. He couldn't get passed the strange feeling of meeting someone for the first time that he had seen before, especially looking so similar to the person she replaced. Did she know that the Old Impa became the Shadow Sage? Probably, but something about her eyes and facial features seemed off, her skin didn't look fully natural. He couldn't exactly explain why, but something about her appearance didn't sit well with him.

"You as well, Hero of Time." She bowed her head briefly before addressing Zelda. "Princess Zelda, should we go somewhere private to speak with Sir Link?"

"I would like to speak with him alone. You may be dismissed, Impa. Thank you for your help."

She nodded quietly as she reached into her pouch, pulling out a quaint deku nut. Without warning she threw the deku nut and vanished into the plume of smoke. Link stared wide-eyed. Always having to put on a show. Maybe he shouldn't judge her for that. If he could perform a stunt like that he'd probably do so in public, too. Link smirked and approached Zelda, trying to straighten himself out as he did so. How long had it been again since they'd been alone together? The answer evaded him as he suddenly became quite insecure of how his hair must look, of how his tunic and breeches must look. She looked at him then, catching him trying to smooth out his hair, and shook her head before grasping his arm. He tried not to blush.

"Should we go the castle?"

"No," Zelda said as she led him out of the castle courtyard and back onto the path toward Castle Town's east wing, toward his house.

Well, that was unexpected. Nevertheless, he allowed her to drag him along, smiling all the while. Goddesses, it felt great to see her again. Skull, Tatl, and Tael would always be amazing to be around, but in all honesty, he'd rather spend more time with the person who helped him save the world. Heck, if it wasn't for her, he wouldn't be in his current position and not Hyrule's famed Hero of Time or Termina's Lunar Hero. He'd probably be stuck in Kokiri Village or stuck six feet under. He tried not the think of that last part, but being stuck in Kokiri Village, that wouldn't be too bad, but he would have to leave when he aged and what he would have done from there, he didn't have a clue.

Once they reached his house, he took a moment to look over her. She looked even more radiant than he remembered. Perhaps it was due to the solitude that they now faced, just them and no one else despite the few that wandered down the east wing. Perhaps it was her smile, that melodic smile that made her eyes seem to glow. Truly she was the incarnation of the goddess.

Zelda looked up at him in a beat of welcomed silence, but then she sighed and her radiance vanished with a frown. Her gaze fell and her hands dropped from his arm only to clasp together. He watched her, caught her fingers twisting a ring on her left hand.

His eyes widened. "You're engaged?"

She nodded. "Something I needed to talk with you about, but yes I am."

He tried to hide his disappointment with a subtle cough. He hadn't tried courting her, something now he wished he would have, but he always expected them to marry in the future. After all, he was the hero and she the princess. Not that other women didn't interest him, but he always expected to rule the kingdom with her. Selfish, maybe, but that didn't mean he couldn't be disappointed. Either way, he did smile.

"I'm happy for you, Zelda," he said, trying to lift his voice an octave in an act to hide his discomfort.

She nodded and looked back up at him. "It's mostly a political marriage. I've only met him a few times, but he's nice and well-learned. Anyway, the engagement is to Wulfrick, Prince of Termina."

His eyes narrowed, "Termina has a prince? Since when? I thought you said you couldn't make it to Termina. You could have visited me and told me about this."

Her eyes narrowed in return and she put her hands on her hips. "Lose your tone. You know how busy I've been. Prince Wulfrick came to Hyrule for most of the past year, not that it's any of your business. Anyway, yes, Termina does have a royal family. I'm surprised you didn't hear about it, especially being their Lunar Hero." She shook her head.

The citizens of Castle Town were starting to gather and it made Link slightly annoyed. Royalty or fame, why couldn't they be left in peace? Then again, they were standing in the middle of the street...

"You know I don't pay attention to politics."

"Really? I never expected such ignorance from you. Especially how you go gallivanting around both kingdoms proclaiming your greatness."

"Oh, come on," he said, finally opening the door to let her in, "you know I don't do that. Yeah, I use the title to my advantage at times, but you know I don't do that."

The door groaned as it shut behind them, closing them in a vast den that was painfully bare of personality. Wooden floors, white walls, and green curtains. At the middle sat a table, its feet carved with notes from the songs he'd used to sing with his ocarina. Against the wall, farthest from the door stood a large expanse of a bookcase that was devoid of any sign of literature. He'd once had chairs that rested in a spot against the staircase, but he'd gotten rid of them long ago and filled the spot with a piano that had been worn with time.

Zelda loftily sat down at the table, her skirts devouring the small chair. He rounded her and moved to the kitchen area through the stone archway. It had been a while since he'd been in a kitchen, especially his own, but thankfully he'd remembered the whereabouts of everything that the cabinets and drawers held. It took a moment before he returned through the archway with two glasses of tea in hand.

Placing the tea before her, he couldn't help but brush his gaze over her once more. Her lips had settled to a small pout, strawberry bangs obscuring her eyes from view. Damn, she truly was beautiful. And to think engaged now, he should have acted faster. She looked up, turned her head to leer at him, and he forced himself to look away.

He huffed, earning another glare. "Seriously, Link?" She shook her head and gave a dramatic roll of her eyes. "No wonder Malon finds you insufferable."

Link sat down opposite her and muttered a halfhearted, "sorry." Contrary to what she may think, he didn't only find her attractive because of her beauty but also for her intelligence. Zelda was among, if not the most, the few intelligent people he knew. He really hated how some women pretended to be stupid to attract a man. Zelda didn't apologize for her brain, and that only made him more attracted to her.

"Right, anyway," she smiled. That was something else that drove him to appreciate her. She didn't like to dwell in negativity or anger like most. "Despite you being, well, yourself, how have you been? I still want to know how Termina went, even if you didn't know about their royal family."

"Clocktown is a small town."

She rolled her eyes again. "Not really. You're not just playing ignorant, are you?"

Truth be told, he was. He had known about them, the royal family of Termina, though not during his first time in Termina. Until recently, after the whole fake moon about to destroy the country incident, they had been nothing more than a figurehead. Afterward, they went through a civil war as the king forced his dominance over the realm.

"Skull, Tatl, Tael, and I had a wonderful time, especially Skull. Terminians tend to be more accepting of skull kids than we are in Hyrule."

She nodded, "I can understand why. We haven't had a good relationship with them and the stalfos, but it truly is a shame. After meeting him, I've begun to appreciate just how remarkable of a people they are." She took a sip of the tea. She looked at Link for a moment as she sipped before settling the glass back down and sighed, shaking her head as if knowing he had poured that kind of tea to try and woo her. Well, to be fair, this also happened to be his favorite kind of tea in Hyrule. Termina had a couple more varieties he preferred, but not here. This particular brand of tea was one he had missed daily.

"Lake Hylian Tea is the only kind I have."

"You don't need to defend yourself. Speaking of Skull, I don't recommend you bring him here again. The guards and my father had a fit. I had to do a lot of damage control."

"Come on, he's a great friend."

"That may be, but skull kids and stalfos are still classified as enemies of Hyrule. You know this."

Like many others. Gerudo, stalfos, and on paper, Sheikah, though in practice, Sheikah were no longer an enemy of the kingdom, as their betrayal had been met with a merciless genocide until they once again submitted to the throne. As much as he loved the realm, he couldn't get passed the obsession the royals had about announcing their enemies to the world and using propaganda to get the peasants against them. Zelda and her father tended to be different, to an extent. Or so Link told himself. That aside, Zelda was a huge improvement over her father.

"Stop acting like the king. You're the Sage of Time, not a racist."

She leaned across the table. "And you wonder why my father has issues with you. I have nothing against Skull or his kind, I just ask that he not come to Castle Town. I don't want a riot in the streets."

"Fine." He took a sip of tea. "Anyway," he said, with only a little spite, "I assume you know what happened in the forest?"

"Yes, Mido and Darunia informed me."

"Darunia?"

"Correct, until a suitable replacement for the Forest Sage can be found, we cannot aid those in the forest."

He nearly spewed his tea. A replacement? That couldn't be. Saria always did an amazing job as Forest Sage. As far as he knew, according to Hyrule's history, a sage had never been replaced. He forced himself to not storm out of his house and demand the king to reinstate Saria as the sage, or to contact the goddesses or whatever he needed to do to get her role back. Or, she could be… no, she wasn't dead. He refused to accept that. Then again, he couldn't bring himself to accept that the Royal Family would dishonor her so greatly.

"I take it you don't know," Zelda said sympathetically as she circled a thumb over the edge of her glass. She frowned and looked down at the tea with heavy eyes. She looked troubled, more so than Link had seen in years.

"Unfortunately, that does not surprise me."

"What do you mean?" Link asked. "What happened to Saria? The Great Deku Tree hinted that something bad happened."

She looked at him, and he caught sight of a bit of moisture and anger in her eyes. "Tell me Link, what did you two last talk about?"

"How does that matter?"

She gave an exasperated sigh and an aggressive wave of her hand, "Never mind, but all you need to know is that Saria is no longer the Forest Sage."

"And why did you and your father take that away from her?"

"You really believe I would do that? That my father would do that?"

"With the way you and your father act as of late, yes."

She leapt up, dropped her glass which shattered against the table. Link shrunk back at her fury and his fingers twitched around his own glass out of instinct. A look of pure rage twisted her beauty, as she took a couple of breaths and forced herself to sit back down. For an instant, Link had thought she'd come across the table to smack him.

"Tell me, Link. While off gallivanting in Termina with two fairies and a skull kid, were you aware of the issues my father and I faced at court? Do you know how much stress I go through for being a princess, a sage, and having the Triforce of Wisdom? Especially with a knight whose goal in life seems to be to infuriate my father as much as possible?"

Oh, she had it hard? What about him? What did this have to do with Saria? Despite the question that burned his tongue, he instead spat back, "I'm not that bad, it's him. I… No, you're right, I am out of line. I just wish you two would stop pestering me about being the Great Knight."

"With how you parade yourself around Castle Town, I thought you'd love the title. Maybe the people would be better off without you as the Great Knight."

"What's that supposed to mean."

She folded her arms. "That we found a Great Knight, also, for the past several years I started to doubt you'd be suitable for the role."

Well, just great. Not that he wanted the role, but now someone took it? As a knight already, and one that had sort of a free reign, it didn't matter, but it still annoyed him. "As long as I don't have to take orders from him."

"Really? That's all you have to say? Oh, don't worry mighty hero, you don't have to take orders from us mere mortals." Zelda stood up and marched off toward the door.

"Where are you going?" Link asked.

"I thought this conversation would go somewhere. You're worse than Darunia thought."

"You were the one who got off topic." He didn't quite understand it. Why bring Darunia into this? Had he had more say over the sages than Link thought? Now that he thought of it, he hadn't seen him for a couple of years. The goron and him had grown a lot closer since Ganondorf fell. Though some like Zelda might find it surprising, he learned a lot and begun to appreciate what being a sworn brother to the gorons meant.

"Zelda, please, I'm sorry. I've had a lot on my mind. Please, sit down."

She sighed and returned to the table, doing well to steer clear of the broken glass and tea covered table yet when they were met with silence she stood up and vanished through the archway. When she returned, she had a new glass of tea in hand and two towels. Carefully, she picked up the glass with one towel and wiped down the table with the other. When she'd finished, she sat down and watched him with a perturbed frown. He looked down from her stare, doing his best to ignore her and try to take in the sweet aroma of the tea. Maybe he should have lit a few candles, mainly those that smelt like the forest. As much as he loved it here, he loved the smell of the trees and the spring rain. It calmed him, and right now he needed calm more than anything else.

"Fine, just mind your manners, Link."

A disgruntled sight, "I will, again, I apologize. Anyway, what happened to Saria? Why did— What happened?"

She smirked childishly. The look in her eye telling him to be glad he didn't finish the sentence how he meant to. "All you need to know is that she is no longer the Forest Sage."

"Why?"

"I will answer your question, Link, but first, I have my own question. You've talked with her, correct? You say she is your best friend. Why don't you know?"

"All I know is that she's been unhappy. Our last conversation didn't end well, either." Or the one before that. The last time she came to the village the two had a rather bad argument. They made up for that, but it still bothered him that their last few meetings always ended on a sour note.

"No, I can't imagine that it had. Not that it's any fault of yours."

"What do you mean?"

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Saria voluntarily left the position of forest sage."

"She wouldn't do that," Link snapped. "I know she wasn't happy, but it wasn't due to being a sage. She took that seriously. She knew how important being a sage is and how important it is to watch over the seal on Ganondorf."

"Keep thinking what you want, but she left on her own will. It caused some upheaval in the Sacred Realm, as you can imagine."

"If she really did, yes, but she wouldn't leave, Zelda."

"And you say you're her best friend. Not that you've had a pleasant conversation with her in years."

"And you know this, how?" Not that it was really her business.

"I try to keep a good relationship with all the sages."

"Right, yeah, sorry I snapped at you." His cheeks reddened. "She still wouldn't leave on her own will. Is that even possible?" Stupid question, Zelda was basically the leader of the sages. She'd know the possibility of anything doing with their role.

"It is very possible."

"Then why would she leave?"

"You'll have to figure that out on your own."

"You can't just tell me? I've already told you, I'm sorry for my attitude. Will you tell me now?"

She stood up once more. "I was going to tell you myself, but with how this conversation has gone, you'll have to find out on your own. As I said before, as her so called best friend, you really should be more aware of how she feels." She sipped loudly, childishly at her tea. "Anyway, enough about Saria. I already have people looking for her, and you clearly don't want to believe that your so called friend left on her own will. We're getting nowhere with this."

"She wouldn't have—"

"Anyway!" She paused and said in an oddly sweet voice. "Tell me about the forest. As I said, Darunia told me a little, but he doesn't have full access and knowledge of events there as his domain is still Death Mountain and the mountain chain beyond Kakariko."

Link frowned. A part of him wanted to end their little talk, to throw her out onto the streets and revel in complete solitude, but he didn't. Hell, he couldn't even if his life depended on it. He'd missed her too much, liked her too much to dismiss her in such a way. With a long exhale, he began to explain what had happened the best he could, starting from him, Skull, Tatl, and Tael entering Kokiri Village. He knew telling her would be hard, but after explaining what happened, what they saw, and the destruction of Kokiri Village and how the Deku Tree went mad, he couldn't help but choke back tears. So much suffering there, and he could do nothing to help.

For her part, Zelda sat silent the whole time he explained. She nodded at some points, likely bits she had heard from Darunia. What peeked her interest the most was the Deku Tree and the survivors in the Forest Temple. To his surprise, the Deku Tree's powers disturbed her more than those at the temple, considering her and her father's dislike for stalfos. He nearly told her what he expected about the tree's new powers, but he didn't want to say anything that may implicate Saria. He refused to believe she would just get up and abandon her position as sage.

"No one seemed to know who did this or what happened," Link said. "The Deku Tree hinted others came. I though it may have been him spewing words as something made him go crazy, but Mido confirmed what he said. Do you think those others who came could have done this to the Deku Tree?"

"It's, possible."

"Wouldn't Saria have known? Or Darunia?"

"Before she left-don't give me that look-she had been increasingly distant from us for months, even Darunia, the sage I believe her to have been the closest with. If this happened before she left or not, I cannot say. Darunia only has enough insight into the affairs of the forest to say something happened, but not what."

"Any idea about the Deku Tree?"

"No, though what you've said is very disturbing. I can only assume Saria gave him her powers, though why, I'm not sure. As only a sage can handle such powers."

"Maybe since she's no longer the Forest Sage the title passed to him? He is the voice of the forest. And if you and your father didn't force her out of the position, then who did?"

"The sage position wouldn't have gone to him, or anyone, without our approval or the approval of the goddesses. The powers, I am not sure, but he isn't the new forest sage, he can't be." For a second, Link could have sworn he saw a glimpse of terror cross her face. "We're still looking for a new forest sage. If by chance he somehow did become the replacement, one of us would have known. We should have known." She muttered under her breath.

"If by chance he did become the sage, or gained the powers of the sage, could that have driven him mad?"

"No. Maybe his insanity has to do with those who came before he attacked the village."

"You don't know of any rogue soldiers or bandits that could have?"

"Not in that area. I may have to have one of the sages leave the Sacred Realm to investigate."

"Wouldn't that weaken the seal further? We are already down a sage."

"No, we can still tend to the seal outside the realm, it only becomes more difficult. However, we do need to send soldiers to the Forest Temple, to help protect those inside."

"We could try talking again to the Deku Tree," Link said. "Maybe we can try talking sense into him, figure out what happened."

"If you want, though judging by how it went last time, that wouldn't be advised, not until we can figure out what happened with him."

"Are you sure it doesn't have anything to do with Saria?"

"I hope so, I mean, yes, I'm sure. Trust me, if I believe her to be responsible, I would have told you."

"Okay, good."

A few minutes passed in silence other than them drinking more tea and Link leaving to grab a small bowl of deku nuts for them. Their conversation hadn't gone far, to the extent that he wanted anyway. All he learned was that Saria was no longer the Forest Sage, that Darunia acted as a sort of temporary replacement, and that Saria may be somehow responsible for what happened in the forest. The worst had to be Zelda's ignorance of the affairs in the Sacred Realm. Of course, without Saria that would be more difficult, but he thought she would have known more. Unless there was more she wasn't telling him, which always seemed to be the case. She and her father kept so much from him. Some, he could understand, but right now, it was a great annoyance.

"Mido said he tried contacting you. Did the letters say anything more than what I've said?"

"No, only that they needed help," Zelda replied. "I was about to send a few soldiers to scout out the area before you arrived. I'm still sending soldiers, but my main concern is to protect those inside the temple from the forest creatures."

"What about your father?"

"He knows, but he hasn't acted as much as I'd like. He's more interested in the newly acquired areas of the kingdom and stopping any rebel groups that want to regain their independence. Once I tell him what you told me, I'm sure he'll take a more active role. The Lost Woods and Kokiri Village are a rural part of the realm, but an attack on our territory and kidnapping of our people needs attention."

"And you have no idea who is responsible?"

"As I said before, I have an idea, but it wouldn't make sense. You remember me telling you about Avina, right? The kingdom to the west of the Gerudo Desert?"

Link nodded. Once he had returned from Termina after the fall of the moon, Zelda, the new Impa, and the king explained to him about Hyrule's neighbors and the politics between them. Granted, that had been when they had wanted him to take up the role as the Great Knight, but he still maintained that information and studied the books and scrolls they had given him. Avina was a sworn enemy of Hyrule and their western neighbor. Though wars between the two kingdoms were rare, Avina had tried their best to sabotage Hyrule's economy by placing embargoes and even bribing other lands to not trade with them. To be fair, Hyrule always returned the favor. To make tensions worse, Avina rejected the practice of worshiping the three golden goddesses and Hylia. Instead, they worshiped a god named Avis and his children, Leigh, the so-called goddess of nature, and Torn, the so-called god of the will. In the distant past, Hyrule had launched a holy war to bring them under the worship of the golden goddesses, but it had failed.

"You think Avina could have done this?" Link asked.

"It's," she paused, "possible. Tensions have escalated between our realms over the past several years. We may have recovered from the war with Ganondorf, and my father may be expanding the kingdom, but we are still weakened from that grave time. It's possible Avina could be trying to exploit this. My only reason to doubt is the distance between the desert and the forest, and the fact the Deku Tree called them Hylians."

"He could have been using the world hylian to refer to us as a species, not our ethnic group."

"That's possible, still wouldn't explain why they'd march so far across the kingdom to do so. And one would think we'd fine some sign of an enemy force marching through."

"Any other ideas?"

She shook her head. "No, but I'll ask Nabooru and have her keep a closer eye on the desert. She'd be first to inform me of an army moving across the desert."

"It's hard to imagine an army moving across the desert and not be weakened from the heat and lack of supplies. The Gerudo may have been an enemy of Hyrule for a time, but they dislike Avina more than they disliked us."

"They could have taken ships around the coast. That would make more sense than trying to cross the desert, and may explain why they struck a far target, to make it appear to be from somewhere else, possibly Termina or bandits. Still, it's best not to be too hasty with accusations, especially with our limited knowledge of the situation."

"Have any envoys been to Castle Town recently?"

"Only one. Father kicked him out after we learned that he was spying on us."

"Why didn't he get hanged?"

Zelda shrugged. "Hanging him likely would have started a war. As I said, we aren't fully ready for a war with Avina. If one did happen, I'm sure the new territories would revolt. My father doesn't want to take that risk."

That would likely happen, but Link wouldn't have minded a war. Not that he'd be happy with people dying, but he'd get a chance to show off some more. If anything, it would allow him to do something productive. Truth be told, he missed the songs of war. If anything, maybe he could stop a war from reforming or save the kingdom again. Not that the ruler of Avina was a tyrant like Ganondorf, that he knew of, but Hyrule would be better off with that man dead. Hell, maybe he'd get Zelda to break off her engagement with Prince Wulfrick. Doubtful, there really wasn't much a point in wishful thinking.

A long period of silence passed, the interruption offered from a sip of tea or a bite of deku nuts. Funny really, as a child, Link hated the taste of them- deku nuts. However, after his time trying to save Hyrule and the exploding nuts being the easiest sources of food to find, he had grown extremely fond of them. He tossed another handful into his mouth and watched Zelda. She seemed fixated on a small crack on a wall where a picture must have fallen from when he had been gone. Her narrowed eyes and frown told him she was either in the middle of an intense internal debate or conversing and conspiring with one of the sages.

The other sages should be able to help, now that they knew more of what had happened, and since the issue had been brought to Zelda's attention. With Saria gone and a possible problem with Avina brewing, he didn't know what to do. He wanted, needed, to return to the temple, but he found it best to first scout out the border that neighbored Hyrule with Avina and head to the Gerudo Desert. He was a knight after all which meant he could report back to the king easily, and his status as a hero would make getting into areas and asking questions much easier. Most importantly, to him anyway, he needed to look for Saria. Yet as much as he wanted to find her and ask what had happened and why it had happened, a hero's duties were realistically more important, a necessity almost. His heartfelt concerns would have to wait.

In the silence, his mind wandered further. Avina… Maybe Avina also didn't matter too much, especially if whoever attacked the village was Hylian born. Why would Hylians attack the village? Goddesses, he needed more information, they all needed more information.

He hated to think that Saria could be involved in the attack, but if the king had stripped her status as sage, she'd be angry. Angry enough to assemble a small force and attack her home? No, she wouldn't do that. He knew her better than that. Besides, the Deku Tree, even in his state, hinted that she had been wronged. Unless his madness had descended further than Link feared. He would have realized she wasn't a Hylian anyway. Or would he? He did say Hylians plural, as if somehow mistaking Skull, Tatl, and Tael as Hylians.

`"Zelda," Link found himself saying. "About this Prince Wulfrick, what is he like? I mean, I have never met him."

"Why would you?" She asked, after chewing on a deku nut that she'd been working on for a solid minute.

"I saved Termina, and I have been called by the royals there, even after they seized control."

She huffed and said condescendingly, "Oh, so since you're the hero there too, you deserve more recognition?"

There she went again. "I didn't mean it like that!" He leaned back in his chair and set his empty glass down on the table with a scowl. "Forget I asked, I just wish I had met him."

"There's a reason I kept this secret from you."

His eyes twitched. "What do you mean?"

She put her hand to her face, cutting her eyes from his gaze. "Never mind."

He hadn't seen her in so long, and this meeting was definitely not something he had been hoping for. If anything, it made things difficult and uncomfortable, more than he could have imagined. "Um, yeah, anyway. I should probably get headed back to the temple. Unless there is more you want to discuss."

"Link," she said quietly. "It's not that I want you to go. I enjoy your company, but you can be a bit overbearing at times."

"I'm sorry…" he spoke softly, sighed as he readied to stand from his chair. As an added effort to lessen the tension that had built a distance between them, he added, "I love you, Zelda."

"Don't give me that self-pitying crap. I love you too, Link, but not like that. Please, let it rest. You aren't the one."

Disdain, dread, hurt, or a sick feeling of relief, he wasn't quite sure what swarm of emotions had begun to boil within him, but he replied with a shrug, "No, I guess not." He stood then and added, "I do want to meet the prince though. Don't worry, I'll behave myself."

She gave her usual endearing laugh and stood up to put away their dishes. "He'll come back soon. You can meet him then."

Link nodded. Though he didn't know much about Termina's royal family, he knew a little of their history, outside of the Terminian Civil War. Legend said they descended from an empire that dominated most of the eastern half of the continent and much of what is now Hyrule. Some said them to be another line of the goddess Hylia, when the ancestors of Hylians and all other Hylian ethnic groups left Skyloft.

"One more thing, Link," Zelda said. He brought his mind back to her when she returned to the table. "With Saria no longer a sage, you're not going to be able to use the songs to warp to each of the temples for much longer."

"Why?" He asked. "I could use them before I awakened the sages. Saria no longer being a sage shouldn't affect that."

"She and the rest were already chosen, just not awakened. If a sage is missing, the songs are useless. They only work when all of the sages have been chosen."

"Do you know why? How much longer do I have? If it's a matter of hours, I need to get back soon."

"You should still have a couple of weeks, maybe three months at the most. With most of the sages still here, the songs will take longer to fade."

"I see, that's good to know." A pain, but still good to know. Oh well, if he ended up not being able to warp, there was always Zelda. Zelda could only extend the magic to allow three extra people to warp with him, bringing the limit to four. One more thing he'd bring up with the king once he figured this all out. He may not always need it, but being able to warp around Hyrule made traveling much easier.

"Who will you be sending to the Forest Temple? I can lead them there if you want."

She shook her head. "No, I'm sorry Link, but I've already gave this order to the Great Knight."

That knight? Why not just allow him? He could easily do this task, no matter who the Great Knight is. Not only could he pull the mission off, he also had personal reasons to want to lead a force to defend the Forest Temple and fight back the beasts. Zelda never said he wasn't capable, but he had more of a right to do this than some so-called Great Knight. No point in trying to argue with her though. She made her mind and he wouldn't be able sway her.

"Okay, fine. Who is he anyway?"

Before Zelda could respond, frantic knocking reverberated from the door. Link grimaced and marched his way over to the door to tell the knocker to leave. Yet when he opened the door, his jaw dropped. The man in front of him wore the garb of Hyrule's knights like he did, but he also had a sword strapped to his side and three golden triangles stitched above his heart. Immediately, Link recognized him and to be shocked, angry, happy, or a combination of three, he didn't know.

"Rickard?" Link asked, his eyes narrowed with both surprise and annoyance at the recognition. How had the boy who once idolized Dampe become the Great Knight of Hyrule? Link still remembered as a kid the two would occasionally play in the graveyard. Link even gave him a mask while doing a job for the Happy Mask Salesman.

Even in his Great Knight armor, Rickard's face still resembled that of a young man. His face was much to round, a dead sign of his youthful age. The two generally got along well, but how did the whiny boy three years his junior become Great Knight of Hyrule? Link shook his head. "This has to be a joke."

"Hello to you, too, Link," Rickard said in a chiding voice, standing casually despite being in the presence of the Hero of Time. He straightened into an alert stance when Zelda approached. He bowed his head gently, his gaze never quite leaving Link. "Your majesty, I'm sorry to interrupt, but the king wanted to make sure you were safe. There has been an attempt on his life."

"What?" Link and Zelda said. Link pulled out his sword, ready to shove past Rickard and storm for the castle to hunt down this assassin.

To their frantic looks he said, "Don't worry, the king is fine. We captured the assassin. His majesty wanted to make sure you were unharmed."

"Who is he?" Link demanded hotly, blade still brandished.

Rickard narrowed his gaze but only addressed Zelda, as if trying to provoke Link. Link hissed but remained silent. Zelda needed to be informed more than him. He had no reason to doubt or question Rickard, even if he still wasn't thrilled about the choice.

"He wouldn't give his name. He swallowed a small pill of moth poison before we could question him."

"Is he Avinian?"

"No, your majesty. He's Hylian."

"Hylian?" Zelda asked. "Any idea who? I know some of the noble houses have issues with my father, but I can't imagine they'd send an assassin."

"It's doubtful, your grace. Before he took his life, he said, 'The iniquities of the golden land will not go unpunished.'" He shifted in his armor awkwardly, "I can't imagine a noble would say that."

"Or any Hyrulean Hylian for that matter." Zelda frowned as she wept a hand under her chin.

Link mimicked her faltered expression. He had been fully aware of many of the evils done in the name of the royal family, but to kill a man who wasn't responsible for any of those didn't make sense, especially as all those wrongs had been done in the past. Sure, King Daphnes wasn't his favorite person, but Link would never wish death on him.

"Could he be from one of the new provinces, Rickard?"

"General," Rickard said.

"What?" Link asked, looking rather dumbfounded.

"We are on duty, Link. I am either General Rickard or Great Knight."

"You're kidding, right? We've been friends for years." In all honesty, Link didn't want to use such titles for someone that he deemed unworthy of the Great Knight position. In addition, why should he, the Hero of Time, have to resort to such formalities to someone who was undoubtedly beneath him?

"Have we?" Rickard asked, "I guess I must not have noticed." He turned his attention to Zelda, ignoring Link's gritting teeth. "I sent guards and soldiers out to try and gather more information and find any leads, anyone he may have talked with."

"Could he be from one of the new provinces, _General_?" Link tried again, the title sounding more like a curse than a formality.

"Oh, sorry, Link," Rickard said. "I forgot about your question. Anyway, no, at least, I don't think he is. His accent would put him around Lake Hylia, and we've had that region under control for decades. Not to mention his weapon wasn't like any of those we've seen in the new provinces, a throwing star… if you can believe that."

"A throwing star?" Zelda blinked, her eyes starting to grow in size, "That would normally be a weapon used by a Sheikah."

"Exactly. I've sent an additional group of men to speak with the few remaining Sheikah, to see if any remember a man fitting his description being trained in their ways."

Zelda stood quietly for a moment, her hand slowly dropping back to her side until she eventually nodded. "Very well, I will go speak with my father about this. Thank you, Great Knight."

"Yes, your majesty. Would you like me to escort you back to the temple?"

"That will be fine, General, but I can do that," Link spoke briskly as he sheathed his sword.

"No, Link," Zelda said. "I appreciate the offer, but you need to return to the Forest Temple. Sir Rickard can escort me."

"But—"

"Oh, yes, that reminds me," Rickard spoke in such a way that it derived a hiss from Link, "I almost forgot. He also said one other thing before he died, 'The forest was only the first.'"

"You forgot to mention that? That's an important detail, Great Knight," Link spat, taking a threatening step toward Rickard. How could someone "forget" a detail like that? He turned minutely then to look at Zelda incredulously only to flinch as she slapped him. He forced himself not to swear. Yeah, he probably deserved that. That aside, Rickard should have known better than to forget such an important detail.

For a second, Link thought Rickard would cry until his face hardened to annoyance and anger. "I will forget you said that, knight."

Link folded his arms and turned back to Zelda, "since he decided to give that now, I really should be returning back."

"Yes, you should. And for the love of Nayru, Link, be respectful."

He would, but he could still question her and her father's decision. Seriously, Rickard as a Great Knight? He had joined the knighthood after Link, and honestly, Link didn't think he matched up with what a good knight, let alone the Great Knight, should be. Sloppy at sword play, wimpy, not to mention his ever present obsession with Dampe and ghosts, he was the last person in Link's mind to deserve such a role. To be fair, Link hadn't heard much of him over the past few years, but he couldn't have changed that much.

"Yes, your majesty," Link said. Zelda rolled her eyes. "In all due respect though, I would rather not leave after the attempt on your father's life. I know how important it is, but I want to see you properly protected, along with your father for that matter."

"I have that under control," Rickard replied with a glare.

"You let an assassin slip in."

Rickard grit his teeth but looked down. "We caught him, didn't we?"

"The last Great Knight didn't have—" Link stared and fell silent. The last Great Knight had been partially responsible for Ganondorf's rise to power. "My apologies, sir. You're in good company with the role. Anyway, I'll report back to you, Zelda, with once I return to the castle."

Before Zelda or Rickard could admonish him again, he pulled out the Ocarina of Time, played the Minuet of the Forest, and teleported away in a flurry of wind. He knew he'd pay later for his rudeness, and he did feel sorry for Rickard, but he truly didn't think the man deserved the position. Link wasn't saying that out of pure jealousy either. There had to be better candidates.

"Or maybe I'm just being a fool," he said to himself. Rickard had acted meekly anyway, barely raising his voice to Link. A true Great Knight would have- no. Link shook his head. Who was he to judge? After all, he did decline the position when offered. Yet none of that mattered, what did was his return to the Sacred Forest. Once again, he put the ocarina to his lips before remembering that Saria gave control of her song to Mido.

"Of all the things you had to do, Saria." He grimaced and sat on the stump.

With her in his mind, he stared off to the stairs that lead to the maze. As much as he wanted to search for her, his duty remained, for the time being, at the temple. The temple... damn it, he forgot to grab his gear. He'd have to return now. If only Rickard hadn't distracted him, he'd…

Ksssshoooom!

He leapt up from an explosion of green energy that made his skin tingle. In front of him lay several of his weapons, masks, and other items he had collected throughout his travels.

He rubbed the back of his head and said sheepishly, "Thank you, Zelda."

On making sure no one was near, he changed out of his clothes and put on his green tunic. Thanks to the magic infused into it by Zelda, he could carry a lot more than he normally would be able to. Granted, it took time finding a proper pocket for each of the items, but he managed.

With all the gear in his pockets, he climbed the ladder and entered the temple. Thankfully, Skull, Tatl, Tael, Mido, and two of the stalfos waited for him in the foyer, standing just outside the area with the magically powered elevator. Upon sighting him, Skull and the two fairies hurried toward him.

"How did it go?" Tael asked first, dancing around his head as if to assess him for any wounds.

"It went," he paused and looked around, not really wanting to tell them the truth. Tatl would probably know he wasn't being completely honest, but oh well. "Well to say the least, Zelda said she'd be sending a few soldiers here to help out and gather evidence. Also, Rickard in the new Great Knight."

At their questioning stares, he told them who Rickard was, along with going into detail of what they had all discussed at his house. Like him, they doubted Saria left voluntarily. Good, he expected as much, but part of him worried they'd side with the princess on this. Mido looked even more disturbed than Link felt. He couldn't blame him. To just turn on their friend like that, and for Zelda to lie to his face seemed so cruel and out of place of her. A straight up lie like that wasn't like her. Maybe she wasn't fully involved in ousting Saria. Maybe Daphnes, the other sages, or even the goddesses had more to do with it than she did.

"So, no word on where she may be?" Mido asked.

"No, I'm afraid not," Link admitted weakly.

Mido looked down and shook his head only for Orion appear before him and attempt to comfort him. The relationship between Kokiri and fairy… Times like this made Link miss Navi even more. He looked over at Tatl and Tael. Both such great friends, but neither of them could compare to Navi. Unlike them, she had been the closest friend he'd ever had. Maybe he was living in the past, but to him, despite now being twenty-three years old and having spent two lifetimes in two timelines, the day he finally received a fairy companion ranked as one of the best days of his life. She'd made his life have meaning. She'd made him feel loved and accepted. No longer could Mido and other Kokiri call him the boy without a fairy. She had been his anchor, his rock. In part because of her, he became the Hero of Time, and even the Lunar Hero to an extent. Truly, he owed her so much, but now, she was gone.

"What about those who attacked the village before the Deku Tree did," Skull asked, pulling Link from his thoughts. "Mido, do you remember anything about them?"

"Nothing more than Link told me. I didn't see them. When they started attacking, I—" Mido fell silent. Link thought he'd start to weep again. Instead, Mido looked down and shook.

"Mido, it's okay. You were afraid, no one is blaming you," Orion finally spoke.

"No, you're wrong. It isn't okay. I shouldn't have run away to hide like a coward. Link, you were right about me. I am just a coward. I claim to be the leader of the Kokiri, but, I'm only a stuck-up cry baby."

Link nodded, his mind still elsewhere, and he said without thinking, "You really are."

"Link!" Tatl shouted. She flashed to his side, and he cringed as she slapped him.

Mido shrunk back further. Link wasn't sure what made him feel worse, the broken look in his eyes, or Orion's rage. Mido's fairy flew at Link, halting right in front of his nose. "How dare you! Can't you see how upset he is? First the attack, then Saria, and now you acting like this? I know you two didn't get along, but you need to grow up."

Link didn't respond. He couldn't. Surely if he did, he'd regret his choice of words so instead he turned from them and addressed the two stalfos. "What made you two and the others come." The duo stared at him in silence, as if perplexed, but it was hard to tell their expressions when their faces were made of nothing but solid bone. Oh, wait, perhaps they didn't know of him? He shook his head. "Sorry, I should introduce myself. I am Link."

The first stalfos, the taller and lankier of the two, approached him and shook his hand. It felt awkward, which made sense, as he doubted stalfos were used to the Hylian custom. "We've heard all about you, Hero of Time. I am Hades."

The other stalfos, shorter and somehow much curvier in the bones, rattled a hand bones. "I am Lucamine." A grating feminine voice met his ears. He couldn't help the momentary look of surprise that slipped across his face. Sure, he should have expected the stalfos to have both genders in their race, but he'd never met a female stalfos until now. At least, he was sure he hadn't met one until this moment.

Link dipped his head, "It is a pleasure to meet both of you." He glanced at Hades. "You, you're Skull's father, correct?"

Hades' gaze turned to Skull, his hollow eye sockets seeming to squint. The skull kid stepped back from his father's stare until the stalfos turned his attention back to Link. "I am. I guess 'Skull' didn't tell you about his useless father, did he? Not that I blame him."

"It's not like that, Father," Skull muttered, his voice weak and muffled.

His father grunted, the brow ridges of his skull narrowing. "We'll talk more about it later, Skull." Hades spat, his sudden change in mood making Lucamine and Skull both flinch. "Anyway, Link, we can tell you more of what happened. Some of my people saw them as they attacked, we even tracked them as they fled through the forest."

"I would be very grateful. Thank you," Link said with another bow of his head.

Lucamine looked at him, red eyes pulsing with raw energy. He read the heavy gaze as anger. He'd seen that many times in the stalfos he fought. "Many of us died keeping your people alive. In both the previous attack and when the Deku Tree attacked. I only hope you will pay us the same respect we've paid your people, despite our lack of good relations."

Link looked at her with a raised brow. "I thought the Kokiri and stalfos enjoyed good relations?"

"Only with the children. When we age, the Kokiri begin to fear us, though I speak more of the Hylians. Besides, these forest children, they won't remain children for long. The magic here is weakening."

"What do you mean?" Skull asked, looking as baffled as Link felt. "The magic here is strong. Before Saria had been chosen as the sage it—"

"You are not fully matured, Skull," Lucamine interrupted harshly, "you'll understand more when the process is complete. In time, you will be able to feel the tingle of magic that flows through the temples and regions. The magic here weakens, how, I am not sure, but since the Deku Tree went mad, it has begun to fade. Maybe the sages will fix this, maybe not, but eventually the effects on the Kokiri will fade."

"We— we're going to die?" Mido asked.

Lucamine looked down at him, seeming startled at first as if she had forgotten the boy's presence. "No, Kokiri do not die when they leave the forest. Besides, you said you left it before."

"Yes, but that was under the sages' protection."

Lucamine and Hades exchanged stoic glances. "What must they protect you from? You won't die if you leave, at least, not immediately. You'll simply age. Look at the hero, for example. Link, you shouldn't be surprised, you aged, didn't you?"

Link looked at her. He did, but shouldn't that have been obvious? Also, how did it matter? He wasn't born from the forest, he wasn't Kokiri. "Yes, but that's because I'm Hylian, not Kokiri."

Both stalfos laughed. It sounded like shattering glass and it made all those in the foyer cringe. "Of that you are. One of the few Hylians who respects my people, but that is not the point, neither is the fate of the Kokiri. The magic will take time to fade, and their protection along with the protection of the skull kids is more important."

"I agree," said Link. "You said you were there when the village had been attacked and had managed to track the attackers. Did you see who did it?"

"We arrived late into the attack," Hades admitted with a slump of shoulder blades, "Normally, stalfos do not venture to the edge of the forest, but a vision came to me, a dream telling me to make way toward the edge of the forest, to the Kokiri Village." His bones rattled. "Initially, I thought the dream came from the Stallord, but I suppose that is not the point. What matters is that we arrived as they attacked. We saved many Kokiri from death or capture, and drove the invaders off. I don't know what their goal had been, but they eventually fled after the fire had consumed much of the village."

"You'd think seeing a small army of stalfos would terrify them enough to surrender," Tael spoke up from beside Skull who nodded in agreement.

"One would think, but they didn't seem fazed by us. Maybe they scouted out the area and knew of us. Either way, what is important is that we saw them. Hylians, almost all were Hylians."

"Almost all?" Link asked.

"Correct, some weren't. Some appeared to be Sheikah, others Gerudo, male Gerudo."

Male Gerudo? No, Ganondorf should have been the last for one hundred years. Along with Sheikah? The last few resided in Kakariko or lived as hermits in and around Death Mountain. There shouldn't be that many of them. That aside, what the stalfos told him matched up oddly well with what Zelda said.

"How could there be male Gerudo?"

"Don't all Hylian ethnic groups have males and females? All other races I can think of do."

"No," Link said, his voice coming out slowly. "The Gerudo are an only female race. They have to capture men to survive." Or do they? This didn't make any sense. Male Gerudo, many more Sheikah, and Hylians attacking? Maybe he should contact Nabooru, or inform Zelda and she would contact the Spirit Sage.

"Your people really do have a lot of secrets," Lucamine said.

"We do," Link admitted darkly, shamefully. As an afterthought, and a need to draw away from the dark secrets that Hyrule held, he added, "Oh, yes, I grabbed more of my supplies from my house in Castle Town." Before anyone could respond, he began pulling out his weapons and masks. They all stared at him, even Skull, Tatl, and Tael looked amazed by just how much he had accumulated through his travels. His friends had already seen what he had gained in Termina, but he had gathered a few other trinkets throughout the years.

"These masks will help you the most," he said, handing out the goron, zora, deku and blast mask. "The goron, zora, and deku mask will allow you to transform into either of those races. The blast mask acts as a bomb. If you put up a shield before the mask explodes you won't be hurt." He also handed over his bomb bag although with a bit of reluctance. As he pulled out more items, Lucamine left and returned with another stalfos, a few skull kids, and a handful of Kokiri to take the offered gear.

"Take them to our armory," she instructed.

They had an armory? He didn't see any room that would function as one when he came here and defeated Phantom Ganon. Then again, that had been seven years ago, and that would make sense to have an armory really. With the forest creatures running about.

Once his bombs, the three masks, hammer, the great fairy sword, one of his hookshots, a bow and quiver of arrows, Nayru's Love, Farore's Wind, his boomerang, slingshot, and a few other items had been taken, he looked down at the rest of his masks. Most of them wouldn't be useful for fighting and defense, but a few did come to mind.

"The All Night's Mask will help for guard duty, the Stone Mask will make the wearer invisible when on stone, the Bunny Hood will let you run fast, and the Giant's Mask obviously turns you into a giant. The rest won't help too much, but if you don't mind I'd like to keep them here."

"I'll take them to the armory then, Link," Skull said briskly as he scrambled to Link's side, plucking the masks from the hero's hand. Link had the feeling he wanted to get away from his father.

"Good," he looked at Mido. "Mido, are you trained with any weapons? What about the other Kokiri?"

"Yes," Mido said. "I used the Kokiri Sword. You and Saria left it here and when the attack came, I tried to fight with it."

"Yes, they may still be children, but everyone here must learn to defend themselves and fight in case of attack," Hades said.

Of course, they'd have to. Link wasn't really thrilled about the idea of so many kids fighting, but they did have to defend their home in some way. Besides, he fought and killed when he was only ten. They could manage. They needed to manage.

"Will you stay and help us train them?" Hades asked.

"You do need me, but..." Link said quietly, not sure who he was addressing. Hopefully, they'd be fine without him. Yet his gut told him otherwise. "I will stay for a few days, but I will have to leave to try and track down this enemy. Besides," he smiled, "we still need to find Saria."

"Any idea where she is?" Mido asked as he took the boomerang from Lucamine, brushing his fingers over the blade in its elbow.

"No, but I plan on searching for her. One of the other sages may have an idea. Anyway, I need to write a letter to the princess. Tael, would you deliver it for me?"

"Of course!" The fairy flew to him, spinning around his head eagerly.

Link laughed slightly, "Good." With that, he walked deeper into the temple, Tael following him to help in the search for parchment and ink. Yet Lucamine had called the fairy back to help in transporting the supplies, leaving Link to wander through the maze of halls.

They may not know who had attacked, but he'd be damned if he let these strangers and assassins attack another settlement, or make another attempt on King Daphnes, or Zelda for that matter. He'd failed his first home, and failed Saria as a friend. He wouldn't fail her. "I'll make sure you are protected," Link said to himself and advanced further into the refurbished temple.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Here's Chapter 3! For those who reviewed, thanks again. Please tell me what you think of this chapter, especially if you think its too melodramatic. I tried to get a sense of Zelda's depression and guilt, but I'm not sure if I went overboard or not. Anyway, enjoy and R/R :)**

Chapter 3

The Chamber of Sages

Zelda smiled, finding the way she delivered Link's gear quite humorous. Maybe some of it had been out of spite, but warping them in one big messy pile made her laugh, especially knowing how much Link hated messes. If only he could give the knights and other soldiers a lesson on cleanliness, or her father, for that matter. Even Rickard grinned, despite being shaken by what Link said. As cruel as the words had been, Zelda had to agree somewhat with them. Her father had chosen him due to his relationship with Link, while not bothering to see just how the two felt about each other, nor bothering to check out Rickard's actual skills. Not that he was a bad sword fighter or guard by any means, but her father chose him in part to try and annoy Link.

"Sorry for the delay, Rickard, Link needed those back at the temple," she said.

"That's fine, Princess," said Rickard.

Zelda nodded and allowed him to lead her outside Link's house. Before locking the door behind her, she turned back and let her eyes linger over the interior. She gave a sad sigh, her eyes focused on the table they sat at minutes ago. If only their meeting went better. Some of the tension and mood lay with her, but a large portion lay with Link, also. Link would always be a close friend of hers, despite his at times pompous attitude, but the way he looked at her, the way he freaked out when she told him about her engagement to Wulfrick bothered her. She could understand him being disappointed, but his attitude troubled her. She knew she looked attractive, but his staring and thinking just due to their hero princess connection meant they should get married irritated her.

She quietly closed the door. Link did care about her and his other friends, but she couldn't help but regret what had been in the past, so much about him had changed. What happened to the nice courageous boy who didn't have a self-inflated ego she met so many years ago? He wasn't an arrogant prick like many others she knew, but his attitude, especially after he realized Rickard became the Great Knight, no, she didn't like that all. His heart still went to the right place, protecting Hyrule, those in the Forest Temple, and caring for his friends, but she couldn't get past his now massive ego, or refusal to believe her about Saria. Normally, Zelda would have understood, but from what she knew, the two hadn't gotten along these past few years. How could he truly say he still knew her? Then again, her own relationship with the forest sage had deteriorated long ago, and what had she done? Nothing.

"I something wrong, your grace?" Rickard asked.

She shook her head, keeping her eyes focused on their destination. "No, I'm fine, Rickard. Please, let us go."

He nodded and approached four guards. Zelda stayed back and watched, part of her keeping her eyes open for anything suspicious, but mainly keeping her focus on Rickard. Hopefully Link wouldn't be proven right about him, judging by the way he addressed the guards, Zelda had hope. He'd only been the Great Knight for over a year. Her father had spent six trying recruit Link, and now Rickard had taken the position. She couldn't have been happier. As much as she still partially wanted Link to have that title, the rank of Great Knight shouldn't have gone so long empty.

"I will escort the princess to the castle," said Rickard. "I want you four to look for any traps, ambushes, or anyone suspicious around Link's house and the surrounding area."

"Yes, sir," they said and did as told. Rickard smiled and turned back toward Zelda. She grinned and followed him.

So far, nothing seemed out of place. No one on the rooftops, no bombs, or any devices she could sense that could be used as a trap. The peasants had been ushered into their places of residence as the guards searched. Anyone caught outside would enact suspicion, but that didn't mean they were guilty of anything, she had to keep reminding herself. Seriously, ever since Ganondorf's reign ended, she had become so paranoid.

As she expected, the area around the castle swarmed with guards and soldiers. She looked at Rickard. Had they contacted anyone yet? An assassination attempt on her father, as bad that sounded, didn't really surprise her. After all, she knew how much the newly conquered territories despised him, and her for that matter. She frowned. Hopefully they'd be able to improve relations with the people there, though her father seemed bent on maintaining those areas by force rather than diplomacy.

So much on her mind right now, and so little she could do. Once she returned to the castle, she'd speak with the sages. No one had much information on the missing sage, though the last council had been weeks ago. Or maybe Darunia uncovered something in the forest. She could only hope. Zelda grimaced and prayed to Hylia, for any sort of news, good or bad, about the missing sage, the forest, or the assassin. Link hadn't brought any good news, only confirming the issues which plagued her. As much as she hated holding information from him, she felt it necessary, especially on seeing his reaction when she told him Saria left by her own will. To be fair, she didn't know for sure if the former Forest Sage had been responsible for what happened in Kokiri Village, the Lost Woods, and so forth, but all the evidence pointed to her. As for the Deku Tree, Link said he possessed the powers of the Forest Sage, but that couldn't be possible. Only she, her father, and the goddesses could dictate who became a sage. Had Saria somehow circumvented the sage process when she abandoned the position? Had her anger become fierce enough to tap into the seal and use some of the Triforce of Power? Could that even work? No, that wouldn't make sense. They would know, hopefully, if she somehow managed to give the tree her powers.

"Your grace," Rickard said, pulling her from her thoughts. "Do you think I failed? I should have stopped the attempt on your father's life."

Zelda sighed. Damn it Link. "You did your job, Rickard. You caught the assassin before he even touched my father. Where was he when it happened?"

"In his chambers."

"Then there wouldn't have been a reason for guards to be with him. It doesn't matter that someone wanted my father dead, what matters is that you caught the assassin. You are a good Great Knight, not as confident as you should be, but you are doing your job well."

"Thank you, your grace."

"Don't let Link bother you too much. I know he isn't the same boy you remember from Kakariko, but he's still a good man, despite his haughty attitude. He'll warm up once he sees how good of a job you're doing."

Rickard remained quiet. Zelda couldn't blame him. He may not be the best knight there could have been, but Rickard was a good man. Anyway, she felt safe with him and she trusted his ability to keep Castle Town safe from anyone wanting her and her father dead.

Sage of Time and bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom, which such power, and with the guards, she should feel safe, but she didn't, she felt vulnerable and terrified. A dark part of her, a part she wanted to quash, told her that a certain former sage had done this. Zelda violently shook her head, earning a worried stare from Rickard night. No, she wouldn't have done this. As angry as she had been when she left, Zelda knew Saria would not have tried to kill her or her father.

"She doesn't even know how to hire and contact a Sheikah, I think," she said bitterly to herself.

Hylia, she really needed to stop having these thoughts. Such thoughts did nothing, they only helped amplify her already deep depression. As the leader of the sages, the responsibility ultimately went with her. She liked to think all the sages to be friends, even if one of them had stormed out of the Sacred Realm, even if she called Zelda a viscous tyrant.

Zelda stared off, her eyes glazing over as she attempted to search her soul for answers. Was she a monster? Had she really been as cruel as Saria made her out to be? She should have handled the situation differently, she should have said more, been more aware, more helpful, but she hadn't. In part, she had been responsible for causing one of her dearest friends to storm out on her. No, she couldn't, shouldn't blame herself. Fault lie in the Kokiri girl, well, woman now. She gulped. No matter how much she wanted to, no matter how much she could contort, speed up, or slow down time, Zelda knew she couldn't change the past. What happened had happened, no amount of grief or begging could change things.

A single tear dripped from her eyes. Where had she gone wrong? Where had her father and the goddesses gone wrong? Rickard said something to try and comfort her, she ignored him. Damn it, damn it all. Could all the chaos in the Sacred Realm be her fault, or all of Saria's? No, deep down, Zelda knew she had been just as responsible, if not more so, for what happened. Sage of Time and yet not able to see how much one of her friends had been suffering. Useless, she'd always be useless, unable to help those she loved.

She never claimed to be perfect, but as a princess, a sage, and a bearer of the Triforce, her mistakes did more damage than those of anyone else. Now she could only mend the damage and try and make Hyrule safe again. For the past several nights, weeks, and months, she prayed every night at her bed, begging the goddesses to not let her fail again.

Once they entered the castle, her somber mood only worsened. Her father stood in the entrance of the main hall, speaking with several guards. He looked regal in his red robe and golden crown. She smiled. She knew he hadn't been hurt, but seeing her father standing strong and giving orders somewhat lightened her mood. Normally, the red carpets, lamps, and white walls of the castle gave her comfort, but now, it didn't offer any of those luxuries. She couldn't help but glance up to the upper level and the golden rails above, half expecting to see a shadowy figure watching them. She didn't, but it didn't ease her nerves.

"Your majesty," Rickard said on their approach and knelt.

Her father smiled and ran toward Zelda. He threw his arms around her and she hugged back with an almost equally fury. She nearly wept into him arms, as she did as a girl, and as she did once Ganondorf had been defeated and she found her father alive. With all her strength, she forced herself not to sob. No, a princess and future queen had to appear strong in front of her subjects. Her father patted her on the back, his eyes casting her in a knowing stare.

They broke their embrace. Her father motioned for Rickard to rise. "Sir Rickard," he said with a great air of formality. "Thank you for making sure Zelda was unharmed and saving my life. I will always be in your debt." To the other guards he said, "Dismissed, I wish to speak with my daughter and the Great Knight alone."

They saluted and left. Daphnes looked over Zelda for a moment before saying, "How did it go with Link?"

By his tone, Zelda knew he was upset, though by the attempt on his life, or from Link not coming to him, she couldn't be sure. "It went well. He shared with me some insight of the events in the forest. Father, it's worse than we feared. The Deku Tree has gone mad, he attacked the Kokiri, and a group of Kokiri survivors are held up in the Forest Temple. Even some skull kids and stalfos are with them. From what Link said, the forest creatures attacked them earlier this day ."

His face deepened further. "Any news on the traitor?"

Traitor… the world stung worse than it should. She left nearly a year ago, but hearing her father call someone she once considered a dear friend a traitor tormented her. "We have no news on her, Father. Link said once he returned to the Forest Temple he would go searching for her. Unfortunately, I had no tips to give him on where to start looking." Though knowing Link, he'd probably have a good idea.

"Yes, Link," he said, his voice filled with spite. Zelda had hoped her father's attitude toward him would lighten once Rickard had been chosen, but it hadn't. Bad blood existed on both sides, with neither party willing to admit fault. Both could be so foolish at times. Zelda had attempted to mend their relationship in the past, but honestly, with how Link had been acting recently, she stopped trying.

"Your grace," Rickard said. "The princess wanted me to send a small force to the Forest Temple to aid them. Do I have your leave?"

"Yes," King Daphnes said. "I want the situation in the forest dealt with as soon as possible. What concerns me more is the assassin. Who is he with? Why did he attack? I don't care about my own life, but I would not have them make an attack on you, Zelda."

"Father," she said. "You are the king. Your life is worth more than mine."

He grunted. "Don't give me that nonsense. You are a sage and a bearer of the Triforce, but most importantly, my daughter. I already have the protection around the castle doubled, and I want Impa and at least one other guard with you at all times when you leave the castle."

Zelda shook her head. "Father, that isn't needed. Impa will be enough. Besides, you remember what I did as Sheik, right?"

The King folded his arms. "Yes, but you are still my daughter. After your mother died at Ganondorf's hands," he took a deep breath, for a second, Zelda thought her father would break down. "I can't afford to lose you, too."

"Father," Zelda said, her voice drifting off. "I'll be fine. Please, don't worry about me. It was you the assassin went after, not me."

"Yes, now, please, tell me everything you and Link discussed."

She did, in full detail, including what she suspected about the forest. Her father nodded glumly, even Rickard paid full attention despite him knowing the least about these events. Then again, he did have to go to the forest. She made sure to stress about the Deku Tree, telling him not to enter the meadow. If it attacked Link, someone it had known for years, then who knows what it would do to someone it didn't know, especially after Link said Hylians had attacked.

"So," her father said. "You think the assassin and this group could be related?"

"It's possible, your majesty," Rickard said. "Though I still believe this may involve the new provinces. They may not be the instigators, but we know how much they miss their independence."

"Yes," her father said glumly. "Looks like I may need to crack down on them even harder."

"Father," Zelda said. "Punishing them for something we don't know for sure they did will make the situation worse. We shouldn't be trying to force them into submission."

He looked at her rather harshly. She didn't back down. "I tried playing nice with Ganondorf, and we saw how that worked out. No, intimidation is the only way to get them to listen. It worked with the Gerudo once we disposed of Ganondorf, and it will work with them."

"Father—" Zelda started.

He shook his hands. "Zelda, please, I am the king. You are learning fast, but I know more about these affairs than you do. Focus on the Sacred Realm, and I will focus on our physical realm."

Zelda folded her arms but didn't respond. He'd find out soon enough brute force rarely worked in maintaining order. Besides, he rarely listened to her words about the Sacred Realm, claiming affairs there to be less important. Sure, he wanted Saria captured, but he didn't care much about the sages said, nor did he care about why Saria had been dissatisfied. He may have cracked down at the Gerudo, even destroying their fortress, but only her own sharp mind and Nabooru eased tensions.

"What are your orders, your grace?" Rickard asked. He looked bothered, by from what her father said, she couldn't be sure. If the new provinces did revolt, he'd be leading the forces trying to bring them under control.

"I'll handle the outlying provinces. Don't worry, Zelda, I won't be too harsh on them." She held her head high at her father's look. He continued, "As you already sent out people to investigate the assassin and speak with the Sheikah, I have no orders for you, only to report what you find once you reach the forest."

"Father, in all due respect, finding a new Forest Sage, capturing the old one, and finding out who attacked the forest and dealing with them is more important than bossing around our new territories. Hyrule could be at an even greater threat now. Without a Forest Sage, the seal has weakened drastically. This is more important than a couple unruly provinces we seized by force."

"Link can defeat Ganondorf again, and I trust your judgement, Zelda. You are more fit to handle the affairs of the sages than I am. Once I receive more word of this attack, I will respond in full force and make them regret attacking my kingdom. Until then, I have need not bother with the workings of the sages."

She looked down. "Yes, Father."

"Good, now, if you don't have anything else to report Sir Rickard, you may be dismissed. I trust you will gather a sizable force to take to the Forest Temple?"

"Yes, your majesty. I already plan on who I'm taking."

"Good," Zelda said. She forced a smile. "Remember, don't approach the Great Deku Tree until we learn more. Head straight for the Forest Temple."

"Yes, your majesty. I pray both of you will be safe and that I will find out who did this," Rickard said. He saluted the king, gave both a curtesy bow, and left the castle. Zelda watched him go. Hylia bless him on his quest. Hopefully, he wouldn't run into too much trouble out there. Maybe he'd find a peaceful way to end the troubles in the Lost Woods.

Once Rickard left, she turned to face her father. He looked glum, more so than before they had talked. As much as he obsessed over his conquests, Zelda knew he worried about what she told him, and the safety of their realm.

"Father," she said. "Before the assassin attacked, did you have any idea someone wanted you dead?"

He shook his head. "Not that badly, no. Link's the only one I can think of who'd want me dead."

"Don't say that! You two may disagree, but he's loyal to you, to Hyrule."

"Yes, but your Hero of Time is turning into a liability."

Her eyes narrowed. "How so?"

"Tell me, have you heard from Prince Wulfrick?"

"I received a letter from him yesterday. Why bring him up? Link doesn't even know much about the Terminian Royal Family. I know he's infatuated with me, but he wouldn't dare or even think to have Prince Wulfrick or you murdered."

Her father rapidly shook his head. "That's not what I meant. I know Link wouldn't do that, what I mean is his attitude toward you. He may try and scare off the prince, possible risk damaging our ties with Termina. I know he helped establish ties between our two kingdoms after the fake moon and Majora, but you know he'd do anything to get you to marry him."

"He may, but he's smart enough to know that would only anger me further. Besides, he still may look at me that way, but I believe he knows I won't ever consider marrying him." No, not anymore. Once, years ago, she constantly dreamt about marrying him. The Hero of Time and the Sage of Time, Hyrule Historia would have recorded their accomplishments, their love, and how they raised the next generation of royalty and commoners in the age of peace they had fought for. A union between the Sage of Time and Hero of Time had sounded so poetic to her. Not anymore. All those dreams she once had, now gone. In a way, they'd be nightmares now.

"I only say this because I worry about you. I trust Link's loyalty, I just don't like his obsession over you."

"I wouldn't go that far." She wouldn't, Malon might, but Zelda knew Link wasn't obsessed about either of them. He deeply loved her, yes, but Link wasn't the obsessed stalker her father or Malon claimed. Her own feelings aside, she could understand why her father felt that way. "Trust me, he won't come between the prince and me. Even if he tried, I wouldn't let him."

Her father's eyes softened. "You're still not happy about the marriage, are you?"

"I just wish I could have known about the whole engagement and had more of a choice. I love Prince Wulfrick. He's a gentleman and I'm sure he'll make a great king. I just wish I had more of a say in the whole thing."

He looked down. "I'm sorry, Zelda."

"Don't be, it's necessary. Sometimes duty must go beyond our own wishes. Our duty to the realm must always come first." Did it though? She knew her father would agree, and many of the sages, too, but a certain forest girl didn't see things that way. She looked down. Had she been in the wrong in telling that to Saria? Or had Saria been in the wrong? Or maybe both of them shared the blame. Both had been chosen for roles they didn't want. The only difference that Zelda grew into being happy about the thought of marrying Wulfrick. She truly loved him, and she knew he loved her. She may still not be thrilled with a politically arranged marriage, but she loved Wulfrick with all her heart.

"It was nice having him as the castle," her father said.

She smiled. "It really was. I still can't believe he cleaned up the whole throne room and dining hall just because he felt guilty about throwing up on you." Goddesses, she and Wulfrick had been so drunk that night. Both of them, especially him, had been so embarrassed by what happened. Part of her couldn't help but find the whole affair hilarious. From what she had been told, Impa had to literally carry her to her room. That thought made her grow red. She shuffled around.

Her father huffed. "I still have in mind to throw him out the next time he comes. Still, he's a good lad." He cracked a smile. "Who am I kidding. I hated that robe, best excuse ever to toss the damn thing."

"Didn't Grandmother give you that robe?"

"Yes, and trust me, I have better heirlooms to remember her by than that hideous thing." He burst out laughing and hugged her. "She'd be so proud of you."

Her eyebrows rose. "Would she? This whole mess with the sages, it's my fault."

"No," he barked. "What happened is not your fault. You followed your orders from the goddesses, and you did your best to mend the situation. Her refusal to see reason doesn't say anything negative about you. You are a great sage, and you will make an amazing queen one day. Besides, your stunt as Sheik and leading the underground resistance movement, that would make anyone proud."

"Thank you, Father."

"You better believe it. I know you may disagree with some of my policies, but I love you, Zelda. The whole thing with Prince Wulfrick, I just wanted to your mind off Link and onto something that would make you happy."

"Father, that's fine. I understand, and I do love Prince Wulfrick, I just wish you have told me before informing me who I would be marrying."

He nodded. "Yes, of course."

Zelda smiled. "I should write to him again. He'd want to know what has happened here."

"Yes, also warn him about Avina. If the attack really was from them, Termina could also be threatened. They dislike Termina almost as much as they dislike us."

"If there isn't anything else you need from me, Father, I will depart to my chambers to speak with the other sages."

"No, go ahead. I love you, Zelda."

"I love you, too, Father."

She smiled and made her way toward her chambers. That went better than she thought. She didn't mean to upset him about her engagement, especially as she liked the man. Her father did always have hers and the realm's best interest at heart, though if only she could have known more about his plans before they went though. If only he could put regard for his own safety up there, she'd be even happier.

Prince Wulfrick, the thought of the Terminian price made her smile. As much as she hated fawning over such things, the eventually wedding made her grin like a child. She had already seen some of her noble and servant friends get married. Thankfully, the prince would be moving to Hyrule so she wouldn't have to move. His older brother would be the one taking the Terminian throne, not either of them. Then again, if she had been marrying his older brother, they'd probably work out an arrangement for her to remain here. After all, with the whole sage and goddess connection, the descendant of Hylia had to remain in Hyrule. Or so the stories said.

The actual ceremony itself they decided would be in Termina, though due to her time as Sheik, it would have a Sheikah undertone, along with some aspects from Hylian culture. She shook her head and gave a light laugh. She had so much important things to think about now and a future wedding was on her mind? Maybe it was simply a way to cope with everything that she had learned, with all the chaos in her life.

When she reached her chambers, she collapsed on her bed and rubbed her face. So much to do. She groaned and forced herself up and silently closed the door. Other than her four-poster bed, a desk, and a few dressers, her room sat rather bare, other than a small shrine at the center of her room. At the three corners of the shrine, stood a small golden statue of the Three Golden Goddesses. At the center stood a silver statue of Hylia, the goddess of Hyrule and Zelda's ancestral mother. Unlike the three other statues, the one of Hylia stood taller than Zelda, staring down at her with motherly affection.

She knelt at the foot of Hylia, her strawberry blond hair tumbling down to her eyes. After a quick prayer to each of the goddess she fell silent and meditated, forcing her mind out toward the Sacred Realm and to contact the remaining sages. Thankfully, all of them currently resided in the Sacred Realm. For the year, they all had used up their time to leave, other than Nabooru. As of now, they hadn't had any orders from the goddesses or royal family that would permit them to leave the Sacred Realm.

After twenty minutes of meditation, peace filled her and a small light engulfed her. A smile crept across her face and she could feel the presence of her fellow sages as they connected with her. With a deep surge of thought and accessing her powers of time, she exploded into a shower of silver energy and entered the Sacred Realm.

As always, the faint blue light of the Chamber of Sages drew her attention. In their section of the Sacred Realm, only their large blue platform with the seven pedestals of the sages existed. Behind the pedestals of each of the sages an invisible door awaited, allowing them entrance to their designated rooms. Occasionally, Zelda would sleep in her room inside the Chamber of Sages to spend more time with the other sages. She hadn't done so for a while now. In fact, the last time she slept here would have been around five years ago. She frowned and examined her feet. She really needed to spend more time here. After all, only she had been permitted to be outside the Chamber of Sages whenever she wanted.

The others would be here soon, thankfully. Normally the serene atmosphere of the chamber made her feel at peace, but now, knowing that they numbered one less, she felt more alone than ever. Once on the silver pedestal of time, she waited. At one point, hers had been at the center of the chamber, but she never liked having everyone's attention on her, so she shifted its position to be between the Rauru and Nabooru's pedestal.

Seconds later, five flashes announced the arrival of the other sages. Each of them looking radiant on their arrival. The flashing lights always made her smile, only once, okay twice, had she skipped like a child on seeing them. They all greeted each other. She couldn't help but feel relieved to be here, to be surrounded by friends who understood her better than nearly all those outside the chamber. A smile forced its way onto her face, not wanting to betray her true emotions.

Normally, the six of them made the platform feel crowded, but not today. Despite her best efforts, her eyes and mind wandered to the empty green pedestal between Darunia's pedestal of fire and Rauru's light pedestal. She swallowed and looked away, forcing herself to make eye contact with Ruto whose pedestal stood directly across from hers.

After what to her seemed to be hours, she said, "I am sorry to call you all in such short notice, but Link brought more troubling news. News that could pertain to well," she forced herself to not look away, "you know."

"What did Link find?" Ruto asked oddly spitefully. Zelda grimaced. The zora hadn't taken kindly to Link spurning her affection. Zelda didn't blame him. Not only did the chamber keep them separated, the zora princess could be quite difficult to deal with for long periods of time. Actually, maybe the two should be together.

Once Zelda explained the situation, the zora turned more sympathetic and worried. "Zelda, this isn't your fault."

"I know," Zelda said. She didn't dare look at any of the others. She forced herself to raise her chin and took a more commanding attitude, even if it came out as forced. "That aside, we need to take greater action with the situation in the Lost Wood deteriorating so rapidly. Darunia, have you noticed anything from there? Any sign that Saria could have returned and riling up trouble?" Nayru, why did it hurt so much to make that suggestion? She was their enemy now. She shouldn't continue to think of the former Forest Sage as a friend. Goddesses help her.

"I haven't noticed anything other than what I've reported about the changing nature of the forest creatures," Darunia said. The goron stared at her. "As a sworn brother to your father, I will do my best to find her, but my duty still remains with Death Mountain and keeping the volcano calm."

"Your duty is finding a rogue sage," Nabooru said. She folded her arms. "With all this talk you've been giving about so called goron honor and your desire to find Saria you do have little to boast on."

Darunia growled, his eyes widening with anger. "Without a sage, the seal weakens. Death Mountain has been acting up because of that. It takes nearly my full effort to make sure the mountain doesn't erupt. Not only would my people die, but Kakariko and the surrounding area would be destroyed."

"Maybe I should be the one looking for her instead? I'd have burnt that forest to the ground and found her by now."

"Enough," Rauru said firmly. Zelda smiled at him, not in the mood to quell an oncoming argument. "Darunia is managing well with keeping an eye over the forest, Nabooru. Anyone would be hard press to govern over their region and watching another, while also trying to counter a weakening seal. You have yet to notice the its weakness in your domain."

"Then why not allow more of us to go out and investigate ourselves, old man? We'd be more useful outside the Sacred Realm."

"You know well enough that isn't up to me."

Nabooru's eyes narrowed. Before she could respond, Zelda said, "Actually, Nabooru," she gave a relieved smile when the Gerudo looked over at her, "some of you may have to leave the chamber, especially after what I heard."

"And what is that, your grace?" Rauru asked.

"I know from here you can keep a close eye on the desert and what happens within its borders, but I need you to keep a closer eye, to be there in person. I have a feeling Avina has been sending soldiers either across the desert or around the coast. The forest has been attacked, but not by Saria. Something caused the Deku Tree to go mad. That could have been her, but it also could have been from this group that attacked us."

Nabooru smiled and nodded. "Very well, Zelda. However, my reach doesn't extend into Avina itself."

"I know, and that's why I need you to keep a closer eye on the desert, watch over the border for any soldiers passing through. I need you there in person, utilize the temple and the other Gerudo structures if you need to." Especially since inside the chamber, she could only look at evil forces traveling across the desert. Avina may be an enemy, but Zelda wouldn't call them evil. An enemy, yes, but they weren't evil, not evil like Ganondorf anyway.

"If I may be so bold, your majesty," Rauru said. "I believe it would be in our best interest for Nabooru to remain here and keep watch from afar."

"And why's that?" Nabooru said with a chiding voice. Rauru shot her a glare, but maintained his focus on Zelda.

"I think this would be best because if Ganondorf's seal does break, he'll arrive first in the desert. I know your section of the seal has remained the strongest, but once it breaks, he'll be released into the desert, as far as possible from the castle. You'll need to be here to tell us when that happens."

Nabooru grimaced and shook her head. She looked furious, but ended up saying, "I see your point, but I do need to return to the desert, anyway. It's harder to maintain control of the Gerudo from here. I know I left already this year, but my time away was only a few days, not the full length. If you do not send me back to the desert to observe possible movement from Avina, I request to use the remainder of my allotted time."

Both had a point. Zelda placed her head on her hand to think. Her request made sense. She could order the Gerudo to patrol the desert. Only Rauru's constant looks made her doubt the decision.

"Rauru," she said. "I fine no fault with Nabooru's request, but I can tell you have doubts. Why?"

"It is not my place, your grace. I can only offer my humble opinion and that is for Nabooru to not patrol the desert. Maybe the Gerudo, but not her."

"And why not?" Nabooru asked.

Zelda raised her hands. "Please, Nabooru, let me handle this. I know it's my choice, Rauru, but I respect your opinions."

"I just worry about the seal. When it breaks—"

Nabooru interrupted him. "The seal will last a week and a half. If I sense it weakening faster than normal I will return. Or do you still not trust me?"

"It's not you I mistrust, Lady Nabooru, it's your people. Hyrule and the Gerudo have been enemies for generations."

"They aren't enemies anymore," Darunia said, pounding his chest. "They are allies. We have no reason to distrust them, especially Nabooru."

The Spirit Sage smiled. "Thank you, Darunia."

"Your eagerness to trust those who claim to be allies will be your people's undoing, Darunia." All of them, even Zelda herself, looked at the Light Sage, their eyes wide with shock. "It isn't Lady Nabooru I don't trust, it's the history between our two peoples." He shook his head. "But ignore me, I am but an old man lost in my ways. I just feel her remaining here would be the best option for the protection of the seal."

"I do see your point," Zelda said. "But as both Nabooru and I said, the seal will last a week and a half, and she can always return if it becomes to weaken drastically. Nabooru, your request is granted."

She dipped her head. "Thank you."

Zelda tried to ignore Rauru's crestfallen face. Of all the sages, he was the most experienced of them, and she greatly valued his input, but she had the final say. Besides, the Gerudo and the royal family had become official allies. Yes, they still had a lot of tension, but she and Nabooru helped restore somewhat civil relations between their people. Rauru even admitted that old prejudices died hard. That aside, his constant rejection of the idea puzzled her.

"Zelda, please reconsider. You know I trust Lady Nabooru, it's only that the desert, especially near the Avinian border, can be very dangerous. Who knows what they Avinians will do if they see a lone woman, let alone a patrol, near their border."

So, Avina was the real problem here. Zelda kept her focus on the Light Sage, not even hearing Nabooru's snarky response and his counter. After Ganondorf had been dealt with, he had mentioned Avina to Zelda several times, but she never thought he'd see them as such a problem. She couldn't fathom why. Maybe what she said about the attack made him speculate.

As far as she knew, of all the sages, only he knew much about Avina. Few gorons and zoras did. As far as she knew, Impa knew of them, but they didn't worry her. Impa… Zelda's thoughts drifted to the Sheikah woman. As always, she looked like stone, her entire body unmoving. Her eyes had been focused on Zelda from the start, some lingering remnants of her original sense of duty. Now in the chamber, she had, well, changed, not personality wise, but a more physical and even internal change. Zelda couldn't explain why, but Impa wasn't the same woman who had become the Shadow Sage.

"As much as I love you two squabbling like peasants," Ruto said, her chiding voice cutting through the Light and Spirit Sage's argument. "I believe we have more pressing issues to attend to." She folded her arms haughtily, but her expression softened a bit when she addressed Zelda. "Zelda, did you, the goddess, or your father find any lead on a replacement sage?"

Replacement, goddesses, Zelda had forgotten about that. With one less sage they needed a new Forest Sage. Instinctively, Zelda took a glance at the emerald pedestal. She wished she hadn't.

"The goddesses have been silent about a new Forest Sage," Zelda said truthfully. Though she hasn't been actively seeking a new one, she knew her father or the goddesses would have informed her if they had any leads. She'd only be able to put off her own search for a little longer. Even without her or her father though, she knew the goddess would be searching.

"And we still have no leads on the old one?" Ruto asked. She frowned and glared at the forest pedestal.

"I may have something," Darunia said proudly, beating his chest in the way most gorons did.

"You're just now telling us?" Ruto asked.

"We were distracted little zora." Darunia's smile widened at Ruto's glare. "Ha! You should know I always get the right information, what does it matter if I didn't say it the second Zelda summoned us." He addressed Zelda. "Anyway, your grace. I have a few leads telling me of a woman matching Saria's description heading toward southern Hyrule. I sent a few gorons out to search for her, but we haven't heard anything definitive yet, only rumors."

She watched the goron as he talked, proudly and eagerly as he often did when giving away such vital information. She couldn't help but sense something off about him. His usually boasts seemed tuned down. In fact, for the most part, he had been pretty reserved when he came into the chamber.

"Are you certain, Darunia?" Rauru asked. "Your last lead led us to a dead end. You know how vital it is that we find her, right?"

"I do." Darunia growled. "I am more certain this time of her location. Have any of you found a lead?" Silence. "No, I thought not."

"I wasn't questioning you, I was just wanted to make sure for certain. Do you know where south?"

"I want to say Lake Hylia. Maybe you could find her there little zora, after all, you are so adamant in hunting Saria down yourself."

Ruto rose her head high. "If your information is correct, I will gladly bring her in. I, after all, am the Water Sage and more competent than certain Fire Sages."

"Ruto, please," Zelda snapped. Ruto narrowed her eyes, Darunia laughed.

"Says the lass who still fawns after Link." Darunia said with a barking laugh. Even Nabooru let out a light chuckle, both earning the ire of the zora princess.

"Can we please leave my future husband out of this?" Ruto asked. Zelda couldn't help but roll her eyes. "But yes, I would gladly go after the traitor if you would allow me, Zelda."

"Of course," said Zelda. "Please though, if you find her, don't hurt her. We need her alive, and—" she forced herself to not look beyond Rauru's pedestal, "I would like to speak with her."

Ruto grinned, showing her rows of teeth. "I promise I won't hurt her _too_ much."

As much as she wanted to warn her against being too harsh, Zelda knew there wasn't a point. Oh Ruto, to be consumed with so much hate really wasn't like her. Zelda wanted to speak with her in private, but now wasn't the time.

Despite what she wanted to say, Zelda only said, "Just don't do anything you will regret."

"Trust me, I won't. I won't regret bringing her in at all."

Before Zelda could respond, Rauru shouted, "No!" They all looked at him. "I am sorry, your majesty, both of you, but Princess Ruto cannot be allowed to leave. With Nabooru going out of the chamber the seal will be weak enough already."

"We've already been over this, old man," Nabooru said. "Why are you so against us doing our duty? Goddesses, I still remember having to deal with your spiel for three whole hours once I awakened."

"You do not understand. The goddess commanded—"

"Us to protect the Sacred Realm and Hyrule at all costs and to find and apprehend all enemies of both Hyrule and the Sacred Realm. Both Ruto and I will be able to return here in an instant if needed."

"Both of you have already used your allotted time outside."

"Rauru, enough," Zelda said with enough force to earn a flinch from Rauru. He dipped his head and quickly apologized. "Of them, only Ruto used her allotted time, either way, this comes from a direct order from me. Besides, both will return once their missions have been complete, and both know to keep their focus on their duty and not to interact much with others. If the seal weakens faster, I trust both will return to us the instant it becomes known to them."

Rauru threw up his hands. "Fine, ignore the decree from the goddess. They're as bad as Saria if they leave."

"Don't you dare!" Ruto shouted. She leapt from her pedestal and lunged at Rauru, only to be held back by Darunia. "I know my duty to the goddess! I know what an honor this is and I will do as they and Zelda command. Don't you dare compare me to that little forest bitch."

"Then you know your place is here. You are the Water Sage, not a zora soldier. Use your time here to search for her. She is a traitor to Hyrule, the evil radiating from her should be as obvious as the evil from Ganondorf. You have no need to return to Hyrule, especially as Sir Link made it clear he does not care for you."

Darunia grunted as Ruto begun to trash in his arms. She screamed, clawed, and kicked, but couldn't break the goron's hold. For her effort, she did make him grunt in annoyance. Zelda couldn't help but feel for her. With all her anger, she knew her friend to be hurting inside. Contrary to what Rauru said, Link never claimed to not care for her, he only made it clear that he had no intentions in marrying her. Funny really, how Link scorned the one woman who wanted to marry him.

"Ruto, for the love of Din, calm down," Darunia said once the zora begun to harness her powers over water to break his hold. She grimaced but calmed herself. Once he made sure she wouldn't attack the other sage, Darunia let her go.

"Someone will need to hunt her down and bring her to us. The traitor won't return on her own will. She is a wench, but not one who radiates the sort of evil Ganondorf does." Ruto said.

"She isn't evil," Darunia snapped, smashing his foot into the ground for added affect. The rest turned to him. "She may be misguided, but she is not Ganondorf." His eyes narrowed with such fury that even Zelda felt afraid. "Do not compare her to him."

Rauru lowered his gaze. "She is a traitor, but I agree, she isn't that sort of evil. Evil or not aside, we should have the king send men after her, or Sir Link can go find her."

Ruto's eyes narrowed. "Link? He'll do nothing to capture her. He'd probably let her go."

"You'd be surprised," Zelda said. The zora princess turned to her. "However, Link is currently investigating the Forest Temple as of now. Though I do know he wants to find Saria himself. I will inform him of this matter. As for soldiers," she took a breath, "I will not send them after Saria. It would be best for one of us or Link to bring her in."

Rauru faced her. "Your majesty, your misplaced guilt will not aid you. She is an enemy of the kingdom. You shouldn't feel sympathy for her."

"Shouldn't I?'" Zelda asked. "Her leaving is in part my fault. I should have talked more with her. I should have tried harder to ease her mind."

"You did nothing wrong, Zelda," Nabooru said. "You handled the situation to the best of your abilities."

Wrong, she couldn't be more wrong. She appreciated the words of comfort, but they only rang hollow. "I shouted and screamed at her, called her names I shouldn't have. You don't understand Nabooru, none of you do. I placed a heavy burden on someone I knew had hesitations, I called her a child and weak minded, I grew so mad I attacked her. Why don't any of you understand this is my fault! I am the leader of the sages but I times I act worse than a Kokiri, I—" She fell silent, not realizing until the end her voice had grown louder and louder. The end of her sentence, goddesses, she said it again. No wonder Saria felt so demeaned, when they all treated her like a child.

"Zelda," Darunia said. She hadn't noticed him approach her. He threw his arms around her. Her efforts to remain composed failed and she ended up breaking down into him embrace. "You can't blame yourself, Zelda. You cannot. You may have some fault in this, but you know all of us also played a role in her leaving. The rest of us could have done better. I was the closest to her and I didn't notice her depression and anger. Maybe you weren't perfect, but at least you tried. That's more than a few of us can say. We are all here for you, and we will make this right."

How long they remained that way, she wasn't sure. Never had she thought Darunia would be the one to comfort her, but she couldn't have been more thankful for the Fire Sage. "Thank you, Darunia," she said quietly.

Darunia smiled and returned to his pedestal. Ruto seemed taken aback by what happened. She returned her focus to Rauru. "Anyway, if Link is searching for her, I have every right to look, we all do. You see how badly upset Zelda is? The sooner we bring her in the better."

"Princess Ruto," Rauru said. "Please don't drag her grace into this. She has suffered enough at the hands of the traitor. I must put my foot down. We cannot have another sage leave the chamber."

"And why not?" Ruto said. "Is there something you are hiding from us that we should know? I know not to talk too much with those outside unless it is my allotted time. I do not understand that order, but I shall not break it."

"It's to keep your mind on your mission. Sages are only allowed out to do one thing, serve the will of the goddess."

"Exactly," Zelda said. "And I am the voice of the goddesses and a descendant of Hylia herself. Ruto has all my confidence in this mission."

"Thank you, Zelda," Ruto said.

Rauru threw up his hands. "Very well! Bring down the Chamber of Sages and tear the Sacred Realm asunder if you must. I will speak with the goddesses on this, your grace." Before Zelda could respond, Rauru turned around and stormed out to the passage of his room behind his pedestal.

The other sages looked at the light pedestal. "I'll speak with him," Zelda said. "Anyway, unless either of you have more to say, you are all dismissed. Nabooru, Ruto, you two are granted permission to leave the chamber and fulfil the orders of the goddesses. However, Nabooru, it still stands that you can only be out for the rest of your normal allotted time. Ruto, I want weekly reports from you."

"Understood," Nabooru said. Ruto only nodded and the two departed for their rooms to leave the Sacred Realm.

Now only two sages remained, neither looking ready to leave. "Darunia, Impa, may I help you two?"

"Yes," Darunia said. His normal boastful voice became serious. Zelda paid him her full attention. "I have a second lead on Saria. I believe the one I gave Ruto to be more correct, but this one is inside my domain, near the northern end of the mountain range. I request permission to leave and search for Saria."

"Why didn't you say this before?" Zelda asked.

"Because I have better sources for the one I gave earlier. This is only a hunch based on a few rumors. If I don't find her within a week I will return."

She looked at the goron. For once, he seemed uncertain. "Darunia, what aren't you telling me? You know I want to find her as much as you do."

"I know, but this is more personal. Its inside the Death Mountain Range and my area of influence. If this rumor does indeed turn true, I want to speak with her. Ruto will maim her if she finds her. Neither of us want her hurt. Please, let me do this."

Zelda stretched out her arms. Normally she'd allow him to leave, but with two of the remaining sages outside, they needed the rest here. Maybe she should speak with the goddesses first. None of them had been outside under orders from herself or the goddesses since Ganondorf and directly after his reign. As much as she wanted to allow Darunia to search, she didn't want to gain the ire of the goddesses.

"I may disagree with him in Ruto and Nabooru's case, but you know why we can't have too many sages outside the Sacred Realm for an extended period."

"Because that could weaken the seal into the Sacred Realm and make it easier for mortals to enter." Darunia shook his head. "I don't buy that. I understand we can better look after the seal and monitor evils from within the chamber, but sometimes, we are needed outside more than we are needed here."

"I know, I just," she shook her head, "no, never mind, go and find her Darunia. This is a critical situation anyway. Go find her, please. If she isn't in the mountains, you have my permission to go south and search with Ruto."

"Thank you, and as a sworn brother to you and your father, I will make sure to bring Saria back safely," Darunia said and begun to walk away.

"Darunia, wait." He turned at her call. "Is there something else you aren't telling me? I know you think this is a lesser lead, but it's still odd for you to wait until after most of the others left."

Darunia stood on top of the fire medallion and said, "No, there isn't anything further. I just really want to find her and bring peace back between us." He gave Zelda an oddly knowing smile and vanished in an explosion of fire. Zelda couldn't help but laugh. Trust Darunia to leave in a showy way.

"No wonder he and Link get along so well." Or used to, anyway. She wasn't aware of their relationship, but Darunia still held him in profound respect and admiration. There may be some tension with them, but their relationship hadn't imploded like his and Rickard or Malon.

She turned to leave when she caught notice of Impa. The Shadow Sage staring at her. "Impa," Zelda said. Her voice drifted off from staring into the hurting eyes of the Shadow Sage. "I'm sorry, I," she chocked back a sob. "I didn't know."

The sage said nothing, only staring down at Zelda with condescending eyes. Zelda reached out her hand to grab Impa's hand, it felt so cold, so hard. Zelda forced herself to look at the face of the woman who had once been her mentor. "If you can feel in yourself to, please, Impa, forgive me."

Impa wouldn't respond, or she couldn't respond, Zelda wasn't sure. After a few more moments of uneasy silence, Impa turned and departed from her pedestal. So, she hated her too. Not that Zelda could blame her. Zelda didn't fully understand what happened when her sister took the role as the new Impa. Zelda had agreed to the change, along with Impa, but none of them knew this would happen. None of them knew the outcome would leave Impa a shell of herself.

She turned and walked, eventually finding herself to be sitting upon the forest pedestal. She brushed her hand over the emerald green surface. "Hopefully I don't fail the others." After about ten minutes, she forced herself to her feet. Grief wouldn't get her anywhere. With an attempt to force her sorrows away she approached the entrance of Saria's room. Maybe she could find something here, maybe have an idea just where the Kokiri had gone to.

She approached the edge of the barrier and pushed into the small energy shield that marked the entrance of the room of the Forest Sage. Once inside, Zelda could only stare in awe. The room itself was rather lengthy, nearly twice the size of the entrance of Hyrule Castle. As for width, it was only about half that, but still a remarkable sight.

Saria's room had been dominated by trees, plants, and animals, with her beloved song in the background. Zelda smiled and reached out her hand for a small bird to use as a perch. Of course, none of the animals or plants were real, only decoration chosen by the sage when she woke.

As much as she loved life at the castle, the beauty of the forest captivated her. The whole room had been set up like the Kokiri Village, with a mix of the strange tunnels of the Lost Woods. At the center sat Saria's house, with a tree that looked like Link's house to its right, along with a few smaller buildings which served as one bedroom houses.

Above her, the fake sun shined bright, casting strange shadows against the ground and tree like walls. Zelda smiled and listened to the running water of a nearby creak. As much care and dedication Saria did to transforming her room, she still found it unsatisfying. Then again, Saria did have to remake everything when she returned from Hyrule on her trips outside the chamber. The only reason things remained now was due to herself and Darunia keeping up the room, despite the goddesses wishing they wouldn't. As much as she loved and respected the goddesses, they seemed to think they all should view Saria as an enemy, nothing more.

Once at Saria house, Zelda walked in. Unlike normal, the inside was bare, with only a few drawers and tables. The rest had faded away before Zelda could speak with the goddesses. In a way, the bareness of the house suited her. If she remembered right, the house had always been sort of empty. She couldn't be completely certain, but to her understanding, the inside of the houses of the sages often reflected their emotion. With no one to add their emotion to it, of course it had become empty.

She searched, expecting to find something they had missed the first time they searched the building. Like last time, she found nothing. Only a small journal Saria wrote in which Zelda dared not to read. Normally, she would have left it aside, but maybe it had been due to the conversation with the other sages, she found herself flipping through tis pages.

The beginning entrees were of her time in Kokiri Village. Some contained bits about Link, Mido, and other Kokiri. She skimmed the first few pages, part of her mind telling her to set the journal down. She shouldn't be prying, but she had to. She needed to find something.

Instead, she found nothing, other than what she already knew about Saria being unhappy. Those passages, she could handle. What truly struck at and hurt Zelda had to be the recording of their arguments. The anger, the rage in those words stabbed at her. Once she reached the end, Zelda hurled the book aside. She knew what Saria had said to her, and yelled in anger, but she had hoped those hurtful words to be nothing but that, words. To know that Saria had written down and thought her to be a monster and a bitch and what not. Her hands shook, no, she wouldn't be sad, she wouldn't cry. Anger would be preferable to this.

"Saria, did you really hate me so much?" Zelda asked, her voice trembling. She examined the house one last time. A few Kokiri symbols and nothing else. She looked to the bed and glanced under it for a moment, but again, nothing.

"What are you doing here?"

Her head smacked the wooden beam of Saria's bed. Zelda cursed and forced herself to stand, grimacing from the throbbing pain in her head. "Impa?" She asked. "I'm looking for more information."

"Only the Forest Sage is permitted in this room."

"You know that's not true. Any of the sages can enter another sage's room."

"Only the Forest Sage is permitted in this room."

"Impa, please," Zelda said. "No, I have every right to be here. I don't understand fully what happened to you, but I'm sorry. I didn't know you would be trapped inside your own body." She didn't. Then again, maybe Impa didn't know. This voice speaking, it wasn't truly Impa's. Well, it was, but it wasn't. When her sister took her role, Impa's spirit sort of split, half going into the new body on Hyrule, the rest only containing emotion. While this wasn't Impa speaking to her, the anger was her.

"Leave, the goddesses have had enough of your meddling."

"Meddling? What do you mean? Impa, please calm down, I know you can. I didn't know this would happen."

"Only the Forest Sage is permitted here."

She threw up her arms. "Now you're just being difficult! I have every right to be here. Go back to the shadow room. That's an order!"

She stomped away, only turning back to see Impa staring hatefully at her. Zelda snarled. "What? I can and will be here. Just because you're almost a soulless creature doesn't mean you can harass me." Damn it. Both her and Saria. She didn't deserve this hate and disrespect.

"Princess Zelda, you must leave. You have more important duties to fulfill than grieving here."

Zelda gasped. For once, she sounded like the real Impa. "Impa? Is that really you?"

She remained silent and turned away. Zelda called after her, but the Shadow Sage didn't look back. She only said, "The goddesses have commanded this room be torn down. It has only caused grief to you and Darunia. I recommend you leave, Princess." She spat and vanished. Zelda could only stare.

"Impa," Zelda said quietly. For how long she stood in that room, she couldn't be sure, only knowing that her eyes focus on the spot Impa vanished from. Only the chirping of the birds and gently rushing water of the stream soothed her. Maybe she shouldn't have come here. Necessary, yes, but now she wished she wouldn't have called them. No, that was foolish, this needed to be done. That… thing wasn't really Impa, not really, only a drone of sorts acting from pure emotion.

She frowned and forced herself to leave the room and its peaceful forest behind. Once gone, she stared down at the green medallion and her focus turned to the purple one. She shrugged and made her way to the medallion and to the door. Locked, of course it would be. As the leader of the sages she could force her way through, but she wouldn't. She pounded on the barrier to try and get Impa's attention.

"Impa, please, we need to talk," she shouted into the chamber. Only the echo of her own voice returned.

She continued knocking for a good several seconds until a voice said from behind her, "What do you want, Zelda?"

She leapt up in fright, and forced herself to not scold the Sheikah for terrifying her. "I want to talk. I know you're angry, and I'm sorry, Impa. Please, can we just go back to normal."

If Impa, or whatever she now was could understand, Zelda wasn't sure. Only that Impa stared at her and said, "You have better things to worry over Sage of Time."

"I know, I just, you mean so much to me. You protected my family, helped me get used to my role as Sage of Time. With all that has happened here, I just," she shook her head and remained silent.

Impa approached her. Zelda flinched only for Impa to place a hand on her shoulder. "You need not worry, Sage of Time. This one understands her place."

What does that mean? Before Zelda could ask, Impa vanished. She hung her head. She had to get to the source of this. Not even her father understood what had fully happened to Impa. If she was but a drone of emotion, or some of her personality managed to linger, Zelda couldn't be sure. If Impa had become a being of pure emotion, could she be reasoned with? After all, if the first Impa's emotion only remained, what she become would only feel anger, and probably not know why.

"Goddesses, what have I done?" She said to herself. "I really thought that would help. I didn't think," she said. Of course, she didn't think. If she had paid more attention, Impa would be better, and maybe her sister wouldn't seem so odd in comparison. The power over time and wisdom and somehow, she failed to see this would happen.

She returned to the purple pedestal and knocked again on the barrier, but knew Impa wouldn't come. She had been told the process would be safe, but again, she should have done her own research. That could be worried about later. She needed to see one last sage and finally she could leave the chamber. Once at the golden pedestal, she knocked on the barrier, this time, thankfully, being allowed in.

Rauru's room held a great beauty, like Saria's, but was much simpler at its core, and in a way, that too made it more beautiful. A large expanse of Hyrule Field with the sun shining down. A small mountain stood at the north, a small desert in the west, a forest in the east, and a small lake and river to the south. At the very center of the field stood a small circle of hovels where Rauru and other sages could sleep.

Once she stepped inside, she found herself face to face with the Sage of Light. "Hello, your majesty," he said with a smile, but Zelda could also sense disappointment on his face.

"Rauru, we need to talk. I didn't mean to upset you. I only want the best for Hyrule, and sending those two out I believe is the best. Really, I respect your advice and I'd be nowhere without you." She fell silent as he rose his hand.

"Your majesty," he said. "I know. While you were speaking with the others and in the Forest Sage's chambers I prayed and talked with the goddesses. They said it was fine, only that you do not do it again. We cannot afford so many sages to be outside."

"But why? You know the seal will be safe."

"You should know the answer to that. Only so many of us can be out for a certain amount of time, and that time lessons with one of those sages no longer existing."

"I know," Zelda said. "But we need to find Saria and keep an eye on the west. Avina isn't evil, at least, not in the evil that Ganondorf is. They won't show up in the Sacred Realm, unless they are corrupted or they actually threaten Hyrule."

"True, but you know how unstable the chamber and realm itself is now."

"I do."

He motioned toward the hovels. "Come with me, your grace. I have much to tell you after my prayers and meditation."

She smiled and followed him, allowing herself to bask in the gentle sunlight and warmth of the room of light. Here all of her pains and troubles seemed to slip away. From the scenery, or some sort of magic she wasn't sure, only that now she felt happier than she had in days. Or maybe it had to do with being with the sage who had taught her so much. In a way, he was like a second father.

"Did I displease the goddesses?" She asked. Rauru remained silent until they reached his hovel. He held open the door and she slipped through. The inside was simple and quant. A kitchen, a living room, and a bedroom. She sat on a nice chair emblazed with the Triforce as Rauru went and grabbed them both a drink and some food. Inside the Sacred Realm, they didn't need those luxuries, but there were still nice to have, especially as Zelda spent most of her time outside the realm.

Rauru pulled up a second chair and the two faced the window and looked outside as the sun slowly began to set. Zelda smiled, the twilight sky always appearing breathtaking. Wulfrick had proposed to her under such a sky. Normally it wouldn't be needed, as the marriage had been set already, but that he cooked dinner for both of them, set up a candle lit table outside, and took her to Laky Hylia as the sun set greatly humbled her.

"They are not happy that you let three sages out of the realm while we look for a rogue one."

"Three? I only, they told you about Darunia?" Her eyes widened. When she became sage, the goddesses said they wouldn't intrude like that, and would only give private information to other sages at one's request or if the situation called for direct intervention. "How does this call for action? Darunia found another lead so it only made sense to let him investigate."

"Your grace, they do not do this to upset you, but for your protection. You've been troubled these past months, and you are not thinking correctly."

"And how am I not? I have done everything required of me to protect Hyrule and her people."

For a moment, she saw a twinkle in the elderly sage's eyes. "They are not doing this to upset you or the spy on you, but because we are all worried. I understand your judgment, but the goddesses still are displeased and want to observe closer. They still trust you, they just want to keep a close eye on things, especially with the seal weakening."

"I understand, but, they had no reason to tell you. I know they are goddesses and what not, but that conversation between Darunia and I shouldn't have disrupted their plans. If anything, it will make trying to find Saria easier. If they want to seal to become stronger again, they should focus on finding a new Forest Sage. Not berate me for following their orders and tracking the old one."

He dipped his head and smiled. "Of course, your grace. I mean no disrespect."

She gave a curt nod and focused on watching the sun slowly set. At times like this, she forgot they sat in a room inside the Sacred Realm, not actually in a house in Hyrule Field. The smell of the grass and sounds of the creatures of the field drifted through the open window. Such on idyllic setting, so peaceful and serene. If only the world outside could be as this.

"Rauru, what really is the issue," she found herself saying. "I know we can't afford too many sages outside with one missing, but we still have two here, and the mortals won't know how to access the Sacred Realm anyway, if they even know about the access point. None of them know sages being outside the chamber weakens the seal for mortals."

"It is only a precaution. Besides, Ganondorf did break in, did he not?"

"He had the Triforce of Power. That, and none of the sages had been awakened. You only awoke after he broke into the Sacred Realm. He had resources available to him most mortals don't." Funny the term mortal, as even as sages, none of them were immortal. Except, seemingly Rauru. The Sage of Light truly was ancient. How he managed to live several lifetimes beyond that of the average Hylian, she'd never know.

"Even so, we should always be cautious, your grace."

Yes, but this seemed more than being cautious. "Is there something else going on?"

"No, your grace. If anything more needed to be said, or if I knew of a greater threat than the weakening of the seal, I would tell you."

He didn't look directly at her and the slight inflection of his voice told her he lied. If he lied about not knowing something greater or that he would tell her, she wasn't sure. She only knew he wasn't being honest. All the sages kept secrets, but that he hid something from her, she didn't like. He seemed to notice her suspicions as he stood up.

"Your grace, I am sorry, but I must call this meeting off. I am afraid I have more to speak with the goddesses about and it is near time for my evening meditations."

An hour early, but she didn't say anything. She stood up and shook his hand. "Thank you for your time, Rauru. Please, if there is anything I need to know, if I offended you in some way, or something I should be aware of, don't hesitate to tell me."

He nodded and kissed the ring that symbolized her being the Sage of Time. "Of course, your majesty. I will inform you the second something threatens Hyrule. May the goddesses bless you."

"And you, too," Zelda said.

For a second, their eyes met. His narrowed. He wasn't happy. As much as Zelda wanted to speak more with him, she knew the stubborn sage wouldn't speak. With a heavy sigh, she turned away and left the hovel, too aware of the eyes drilling into her back. Did he not trust her? Maybe he knew more about Saria? If so, why wouldn't he tell her? He had to know she caught on to him, and yet, he kept alluding her questions.

His actions bothered her more, but she tried not to dwell. After all, he knew how much this all upset her, with Saria leaving and the ramifications. Perhaps he wanted to protect her from more emotional harm. He shouldn't. With all the problems going on and all the nights she spent weeping, she wanted to know all she could, to know how to make things better. Hurt all this may, but she didn't like people keeping things from her, even if to try and protect her.

Or maybe it had more to do with Rauru being so used to ruling the sages. Before they awoke, he had been the leader of the sages, guiding the older generations of sages in protecting Hyrule. As far as she knew, there hadn't been a Sage of Time since Rauru had first become a sage. Some things did die hard, and maybe fully relinquishing leadership was one of them.

With a final look back at the distant hovels, Zelda left the room and returned to her pedestal in the chamber. For a second, she could have sworn she saw Impa watching her, but the woman had vanished. Zelda shook her head and knelt on the pedestal. She could worry about Impa another time. Now, she needed some rest and time to think over what had been discussed.

Rauru, Impa, Saria, Link, all of them causing her so many headaches. After nearly ten minutes, she finally forced those thoughts away and focused on leaving the chamber and a second later in an explosion of silver, she found herself at the foot of the goddesses' shrine in her room.

Directly above the statues, a purple fairly floated. Zelda grimaced. Tael had come, this couldn't be a good sign. "Hello, Tael," she said.

The fairy looked at her, but before he could speak, erupted into an explosion of purple fire.


End file.
